Cessna 172M accident near Barnwell, South Carolina, April 14, 1994
On April 14, 1994 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N61990, was substantially damaged 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; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FLARE PROPERLY WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 1994 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Barnwell, South Carolina · Barnwell County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N61990 · registry record · serial 17264941
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, A PERSONAL URGENCY FORCED HER TO DIVERT TO AN AIRPORT SHORT OF THE DESTINATION. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE APPROACH AIRSPEED AND THE HEIGHT OVER THE RUNWAY, WERE EXCESSIVE. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN HARD AND BOUNCED SEVERAL TIMES. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE FIREWALL WAS BUCKLED.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 105 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,517 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 21, 1994; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OA6 Gastonia NC at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 4, 5,122 ft by 68 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from CRE, 45 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.