Ridgeland Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ridgeland, South Carolina 29936
Thursday, July 20, 1989 14:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

TWO PLTS WERE SEATED AT THE CONTROLS. THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT PLT HAD RENTED THE ACFT; HE HAD 59 HRS TOTAL FLT TIME, OF WHICH, 3 HRS WAS IN THE CESSNA 172. THE LEFT FRONT SEAT PLT (NORMAL PSN FOR THE PIC) HAD 120 HRS OF FLT TIME, OF WHICH, 52 HRS WAS IN THE CESSNA 172. BEFORE RENTING THE ACFT, THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT PLT WAS TOLD OF THE ACFT'S LIMITED PAYLOAD & RWY LENGTH REQUIREMENTS DUE TO THE AUXILIARY FUEL CAPACITY. THE ACFT HAD BEEN REFUELED TO ITS CAPACITY AT THE EN ROUTE ARPT. DURING TAKEOFF FROM THE 3100 FT RWY, THE ACFT LIFTED OFF, SETTLED BACK ONTO RWY & LIFTED OFF AGAIN. THE ACFT CLIMBED WITH A STEEP NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE TO ABOUT 200 TO 250 FT, THEN IT ENTERED A STEEP DSCNT & CRASHED. THE WIND WAS RPRTD TO BE ALIGNED WITH THE RWY AT 10 KTS & THE TEMP WAS ABOUT 90 DEG. THE ACFT WAS ESTD TO HAVE BEEN LOADED ABOUT 120 LBS OVER ITS MAX WT LIMIT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. DENSITY ALT WAS APRX 2100 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC), WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL DURING TAKEOFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE EXCESSIVE GROSS WEIGHT AND IMPROPER LIFT-OFF BY THE PIC, THE PILOT/PASSENGER'S IMPROPER CREW COORDINATION REGARDING THE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS THAT HE RECEIVED CONCERNING THE PAYLOAD LIMITATIONS, AND THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/20/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City RIDGELAND
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29936
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RIDGELAND
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3J1
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 79
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1255 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID NBC
Elevation of weather observation facility 38
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2100
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1833
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 20 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40778
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4254L
NTSB Number ATL89FA182
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172G
Aircraft Series Identifier 172G
Aircraft Serial Number 17254323
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 11 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 2212
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAWN JONES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 551 NW 187TH ST
Aircraft Owner City MIAMI
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33169
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GORDON AIR SERVICES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 164839
Operator City MIAMI
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33169
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 3J1
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TMB
Destination City MIAMI
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 3100
Runway Width 70
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --