Cessna 172H accident near Ehrhardt, South Carolina, April 21, 2002
On April 21, 2002 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172H, registered N2815L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ehrhardt, South Carolina (Broxton Bridge Plantation airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 attain proper touchdown point while landing on a wet grass runway, resulting in the airplane departing the runway and impacting with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 2002 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ehrhardt, South Carolina · Broxton Bridge Plantation · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N2815L · no longer on the register · serial 17256015
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said, he entered the traffic pattern for a landing on runway 1, turned from base to final, and noted that his airspeed was 80 mph. He thought that he could still make a "safe" landing. He landed the airplane "long" on a wet grass with poor braking action. He was unable to stop, the airplane departed the end of the runway and into the woods, coming to rest between two trees.
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
- Flight time: 648 hours in all; 216 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 609 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 12, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,054 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 27, 2001; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 50J Moncks Corner SC at 12:00 pm
- Destination: SC55 Ehrhardt SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 2,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 12:56 pm from CAE, 60 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.