Charleston Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Moncks Corner, South Carolina 29461
Sunday, November 3, 1985 15:20 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ACFT ENGINE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR THE INITIAL ILS APPROACH TO CHARLESTON, SC (CHS). ATTEMPTS BY THE PLT TO REGAIN PWR FAILED AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A SWAMPY FIELD A FEW MILES NORTH OF CHS. THE ACFT NOSED OVER INVERTED AS IT CAME TO A STOP AND REMAINED THAT WAY UNTIL IT WAS REMOVED FROM THE SITE 3 DAYS LATER. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED ABOUT 6 TO 8 OUNCES OF FUEL IN THE FUEL SYSTEM AND NO CONTAMINATION WAS DETECTED. A TOTAL OF 4 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS THEN ADDED TO THE TWO WING TANKS. THE ENGINE WAS READILY STARTED, USING THE ACFT BATTERY, AND IT RAN SMOOTHLY AFTER A FEW SECONDS OF ROUGHNESS. THE ENGINE WAS RUN TO FULL POWER AND NO DEFECTS WERE NOTED. FOLLOWING SHUTDOWN, AN EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED NO LEAKS. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ACFT WAS TOPPED OFF PRIOR TO DEPARTURE AND SHOULD HAVE HAD 5 HRS OF FUEL. THE PILOT REPORTED THE TOTAL ENGINE RUNNING TIME AT 4 HRS 40 MINUTES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/3/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1520
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MONCKS CORNER
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29461
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CHARLESTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CHS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 15
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 46
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1536 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID CHS
Elevation of weather observation facility 46
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1200
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1578
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 3 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1845
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28955
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N73171
NTSB Number ATL86LA017
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172 M
Aircraft Series Identifier 172 M
Aircraft Serial Number 17267298
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 Oct 25 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 3809
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name USAF ANDREWS BOLLINC AERO CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1776 ABW SSYA
Aircraft Owner City ANDREWS AFB
Aircraft Owner State DC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20331
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ADW
Departure City ANDREWS AFB
Departure State DC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1055
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CHS
Destination City CHARLESTON
Destination State SC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 15
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --