Cessna 172 accident near Campobello, South Carolina, October 18, 2015
On October 18, 2015 at about 11:12 pm local time, a 1956 Cessna 172, registered N6636A, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Campobello, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the fuel system, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to water contamination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 2015 · about 11:12 pm local time
- Place
- Campobello, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172, built 1956 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6636A · no longer on the register · serial 28736
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that he performed a thorough preflight inspection and observed no contaminants in the fuel. He reported that, during cruise flight on a local sightseeing flight, the engine lost all power. The pilot could not restart the engine, so he performed a forced landing in a nearby field. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over and then came to rest inverted, which resulted in structural damage to the airframe. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. During examination of the fuel system, water was found in the firewall-mounted fuel strainer. The left wing tank was dry; however, there was evidence of postaccident fuel leakage from the tank. The right wing tank was sumped using a standard 6-inch tube-type fuel tester. The tester was filled twice, and it only contained water each time. The tester was filled a third time, and it contained about 3/4 water and 1/4 fuel. Although the pilot reported that he performed a thorough preflight inspection, his inspection was not adequate because he failed to detect the water contamination.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
- Fuel contamination during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Inadequate inspection
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 452 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 11, 2014; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-300-B (piston); 4,300 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 33A Landrum SC at 10:45 pm
- Destination: 33A Landrum SC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.35 inHg
- Observation at 11:15 pm from SPA, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on January 28, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector's Statement - Bogan | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement - Baker | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Reports from Local Agencies - Spartanburg County So Report | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photo Array | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.