Cessna 177RG accident near Columbia, South Carolina, May 31, 1999
On May 31, 1999 at about 4:25 pm local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N39PC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbia, South Carolina (Columbia Metro airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1999 · about 4:25 pm local time
- Place
- Columbia, South Carolina · Columbia Metro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N39PC · registry record · serial 177RG1272
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon arriving at his refueling stop, the pilot was issued a landing clearance for runway 5. The pilot reported that the airplane touched down on the main landing gear within the first third of the runway. The pilot further stated that as the nose wheel settled to the runway the airplane pulled to the left side of the runway. As the airplane continued veering to the left, the application of right rudder failed to arrest the left drift. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway and collided with a ditch. The examination of the accident site disclosed that the airplane rested in a ditch adjacent to the runway. Landing gear tracks were observed from the edge of the paved runway surface to the point where the airplane rested. Examination of the runway surface failed to disclose any obvious tire tracks associated with braking action. The subsequent examination of the braking system also failed to reveal internal component failure or malfunction. No mechanical malfunction or component failure was discovered during the examination of 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: 1,389 hours in all; 1,041 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 51 in the last 30 days; 1,226 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,301 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 30, 1998; 147 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EXE Fort Lauderdale FL at 2:30 pm
- Destination: TEB Teterboro NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:25 pm from CAE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.