Cessna 152 accident near Rock Hill, South Carolina, November 2, 1994
On November 2, 1994 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N48720, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rock Hill, South Carolina. It was an instructional 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 STUDENT PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM OBSTACLES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 2, 1994 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Rock Hill, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N48720 · no longer on the register · serial 15280936
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A LOCAL SOLO TRAINING FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION LINES THAT WERE ABOUT 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE ROTATED 180 DEGREES AND CAME TO REST IN A RIVER, UPRIGHT AND PARTIALLY SUBMERGED. WATER DEPTH WAS ABOUT FOUR FEET. THE UNINJURED, STUDENT PILOT WADED TO SHORE AND AWAITED RESCUE. HE STATED IN HIS REPORT THAT HE SUFFERED A TOTAL LAPSE OF JUDGEMENT, AND DECIDED TO BUZZ A DESERTED STRETCH OF THE RIVER. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE WIRES.
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, foreign licence, student
- Ratings: single-engine sea; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: airship
- Flight time: 50 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 19 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 29J SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from CLT, 18 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.