Cessna 172G accident near Summerton, South Carolina, September 13, 1991
On September 13, 1991 at about 1:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N4184L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Summerton, South Carolina (Davis Crossroads airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS AT THE AIRSTRIP. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE QUARTERING TAILWIND AND THE WET FIELD CONDITIONS AT THE AIRSTRIP.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 1991 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Summerton, South Carolina · Davis Crossroads · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N4184L · registry record · serial 17254253
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN VEERING TO THE LEFT JUST PRIOR TO LIFTOFF. TO AVOID RUNNING OFF THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY, HE ROTATED EARLY. THE AIRPLANE WAS THEN NEAR STALL SPEED, HEADING TOWARDS A TREE. HE APPLIED FULL FLIGHT CONTROL INPUTS TO AVOID THE TREE, AND THE AIRPLANE STALLED. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE RUNWAY WAS WET FROM DEW, AND THAT A QUARTERING RIGHT TAILWIND 'WAS NOT GIVEN PROPER ATTENTION.'
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,750 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 2,614 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 3,000 ft by 90 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.