Cessna 150E accident near Pelion, South Carolina, July 24, 1993
On July 24, 1993 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150E, registered N6197T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pelion, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER WEATHER EVALUATION PRIOR TO COMMENCING THE FLIGHT. FACTORS WERE THE FOG AND LOW CEILING WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE ROUGH, UNEVEN TERRAIN AT THE LANDING SITE
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 1993 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pelion, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150E · all 150Es on the register
- Registration
- N6197T · no longer on the register · serial 15060897
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT ELECTED TO TAKE OFF AFTER A ONE HOUR DELAY FOR FOGGY CONDITIONS. HE DID NOT OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING. HE CHECKED A NEARBY ATIS AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE, AND THEY WERE REPORTING IFR CONDITIONS. HE REACHED HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT, AND OBSERVED THAT IT WAS 'PARTIALLY FOGGED IN.' HE ELECTED TO CIRCLE THE AIRFIELD UNTIL CONDITIONS IMPROVED. THE WEATHER BEGAN TO DETERIORATE FURTHER, AND THE PILOT ENTERED IMC. HE THEN ELECTED TO DESCEND AND LOOK FOR AN OPEN FIELD SINCE HIS FUEL STATUS WAS LOW. HE BROKE OUT OF THE WEATHER, AND MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A COTTON FIELD AFTER TWO ATTEMPTS. THE NOSE GEAR FAILED AFTER LANDING ON THE ROUGH TERRAIN, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS STRUCTURALLY DAMAGED
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 430 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 335 as pilot in command; 71 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,705 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 1992; 105 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Perry SC at 12:00 pm
- Destination: NONE Fairview SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; scat at 300 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:52 pm from CAE, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.