Cessna 172 accident near Clemson, South Carolina, April 2, 2019
On April 2, 2019 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1981 Cessna 172, registered N54222, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Clemson, South Carolina (Oconee County Rgnl airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack when it inadvertently became airborne, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 2019 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Clemson, South Carolina · Oconee County Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 P, built 1981 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N54222 · no longer on the register · serial 17274926
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that, during landing, as the nosewheel touched down on the runway, he felt a "strong vibration," and the airplane veered left. He tried to correct by pulling back on the yoke, but the airplane became airborne and continued veering left, and the left wing impacted a ramp left of the runway. Examination of video surveillance revealed that, shortly after landing, the airplane veered left. The airplane then became airborne, aerodynamically stalled, and the left wing dropped and impacted the ramp. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The manager reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 59.5 hours in all; 59.5 in this make and model; 30.1 in the last 90 days; 13.6 in the last 30 days; 7.5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,138 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 27, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 1,985 hours total
- Operator: Velocity Aviation Llc
The flight
- Departed from: LZU Lawrenceville GA at 7:30 pm
- Destination: CEU Clemson SC
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 25, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from KCEU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 29, 2019. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Video | PDF, 1 page | 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.