Cessna 172 accident near N. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, December 11, 1994
On December 11, 1994 at about 5:03 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N6466D, was substantially damaged in an accident near N. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (Grand Strand 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 maintain directional control during a crosswind takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 1994 · about 5:03 pm local time
- Place
- N. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina · Grand Strand · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6466D · registry record · serial 17272817
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF WITH A 50 DEGREE LEFT CROSSWIND, THE AIRPLANE VEERED LEFT, OFF OF THE RUNWAY. AS THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED OVER THE GRASS, THE NOSE WHEEL ENTERED A DEPRESSION, COLLAPSING THE GEAR. THE AIRPLANE SLOWLY NOSED OVER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRPLANE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 433 hours in all; 360 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 413 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 3, 1993; 175 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRE
- Destination: HGR Hagerstown MD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 5, 5,996 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:07 pm from CRE
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.