Cessna 172RG accident near Charleston, South Carolina, April 5, 2009
On April 5, 2009 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N6208V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Charleston, South Carolina (Charleston Executive 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 extend the landing gear before landing. Contributing to the accident was the diversion of the pilot's attention to an airplane on a converging final approach course.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 2009 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Charleston, South Carolina · Charleston Executive Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N6208V · no longer on the register · serial 172RG0591
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While practicing a "power off 180 degree accuracy landing," the certificated private pilot became distracted in the traffic pattern by a converging airplane on approach to a different runway at the same airport. The accident airplane touched down with the landing gear retracted and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The accident pilot had not lowered the gear on the downwind leg; instead, he intended to lower the gear on final, when "he was sure [he] had the runway made." According to the airplane's information manual, the accident airplane was equipped with an audio warning system which was designed to sound whenever the throttle was retarded below 12 inches of manifold pressure. The accident pilot stated that he did not notice the landing gear warning tone until after the airplane stopped on the ground. Most of the accident pilot's instruction in complex airplanes was not conducted in the accident 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
What happened, in order
- Simulated/training event during approach (VFR pattern downwind)
- Air traffic event during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Landing gear not configured during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 195 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 150 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 26, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 260 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 206 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 30, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,713 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 27, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,658 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CHS Charleston SC at 7:15 pm
- Destination: JZI Charleston SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,313 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 185° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 pm from JZI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N6208V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.