Cessna 182 accident near Barnwell, South Carolina, March 22, 1992
On March 22, 1992 at about 2:45 am local time, a Cessna 182, registered N5441B, suffered minor damage in an accident near Barnwell, South Carolina (Barnwell County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A SAFE ALTITUDE ABOVE THE GROUND WHILE MAKING A LOW PASS AT NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 1992 · about 2:45 am local time
- Place
- Barnwell, South Carolina · Barnwell County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N5441B · registry record · serial 33441
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD TAKEN A NEWLYWED COUPLE UP ON A CEREMONIAL 'MILE HIGH' LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT AS A WEDDING GIFT. HE REPORTED THAT DURING A MANEUVER HE FELT A 'SHUDDER', AND ELECTED TO MAKE A LOW PASS OVER AN AIRPORT TAXIWAY, BY SOME FRIENDS ON THE GROUND WITH A HAND-HELD RADIO, FOR A 'LANDING GEAR CHECK'. DURING THE SECOND PASS THE PILOT ASKED THE COUPLE TO 'LOOK TO THE RIGHT WHERE THE MOON SHINES OVER BARNWELL.' THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A SPECTATOR ON THE TAXIWAY. A PAX STATED THAT THE PILOT THEN 'FREAKED OUT' AND WAS IN NO CONDITION TO FLY THE AIRPLANE. DURING A SUBSEQUENT LANDING ATTEMPT, A PAX PREVENTED A GO-AROUND BY FORCING THE YOKE FORWARD AND PUSHING ON THE BRAKE PEDALS WITH HIS HANDS. THE PAX STATED THE PILOT 'WANTED TO KEEP FLYING AND HE WAS GOING NUTS.' THE PILOT FLED THE SCENE AFTER THE ACCIDENT BUT RETURNED LATER. THE PILOT HAD ARRANGED TO HAVE THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND 'MOON' THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LOW PASS.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,722 hours in all; 2,903 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 5,311 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,457 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 1991; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Vikings Of Denmark, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 am from AGS, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.