Cessna 172N accident near Greenville, South Carolina, September 25, 1997
On September 25, 1997 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N738SZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenville, South Carolina (Greenville Downtown 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 improper use of the elevator control and delayed liftoff during takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent porpoise, collision with the runway, and collapse of the nose gear as he aborted the takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 1997 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Greenville, South Carolina · Greenville Downtown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N738SZ · no longer on the register · serial 17270213
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that, the initial takeoff started from the (approach) end of runway 36, and that he had applied full power. At about the midfield point, the airplane lifted off. However, the pilot did not feel there was sufficient power to take off, so he aborted the takeoff. He said he pulled the power all the way back, and the airplane descended nose first, collided the runway nose gear first, and nosed over. A witness stated that during the takeoff roll, the airplane began to porpoise before the nose gear collided with the runway. Examination of the airplane failed to disclose a mechanical problem. The pilot did not report experiencing a mechanical problem with the airplane during the attempted takeoff. According to the pilot operation handbook, normal takeoff ground run should have been about 478 feet. The runway was 5393 feet in length.
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
- Flight time: 131 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 53 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,854 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 11, 1997; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GMU at 11:48 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,393 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 am from CAE, 81 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.