Cessna 172S accident near Orangeburg, South Carolina, June 20, 2008
On June 20, 2008 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N65357, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Orangeburg, South Carolina (Dry Swamp Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point on landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 2008 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Orangeburg, South Carolina · Dry Swamp Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N65357 · no longer on the register · serial 172S9705
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a Cessna 172S stated that he entered a left downwind for landing and completed the before landing check. He turned on base leg early, resulting in the airplane being high on final approach. The airplane floated, touched down long on the wet grass runway, and slid off the end of the runway while veering to the right. The right wing collided with a tree and rotated to the right, the tail of the airplane collided with a fence, and the airplane came to a stop. The pilot stated that he did not experience any mechanical problems with 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
What happened, in order
- Landing area overshoot during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Wet › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 170 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 95 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,386 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2008; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OGB Orangeburg SC at 1:30 pm
- Destination: 1DS Orangeburg SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 2,900 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 2:12 pm from KOGB, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.