Cessna 177RG accident near Columbia, SC
On March 22, 2000, a Cessna 177RG (airplane) was involved in an accident near Columbia, SC. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- March 22, 2000
- Place
- Columbia, SC
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 33.991°N, 81.000°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001212X20688
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 22, 2000, about 1820 eastern standard time, a Cessna 177RG, N1556H, registered to Aircraft Holding Co., LLC, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed during an emergency landing at Columbia, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed, the private-rated pilot was seriously injured, and a private pilot-rated passenger was fatally injured. The flight originated from the same airport about 10 minutes before the accident. According to another pilot who was in the landing pattern at Columbia Owens Downtown Airport when N1556H announced on unicom frequency that he was taxiing onto runway 31 for takeoff, intending to stay in the pattern, the departure and crosswind turn appeared normal. The other pilot completed a touch-and-go landing and lost sight of N1556H somewhere during his, (N1556's) downwind leg. The other pilot heard N1556H begin his "on base" call, pause for a few seconds, and then transmit that he was declaring an emergency because of an engine failure, and that he didn't think he could make the field. At about 1850, the other pilot could see that rescue workers were on the scene. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The PIC/owner possessed a private pilot's license with single engine-land and instrument/airplane ratings. The PIC's logbook indicates he had logged 24.7 hours of PIC time in the airplane, and had accumulated a total of 449 flying hours. According to the PIC, although the pilot/passenger held a current private pilot's license, he had not flown, nor was he
Probable cause
The PIC's inadequate planning and preparation resulting in refueling not being performed and the subsequent fuel exhaustion and forced landing into trees. A factor in the accident was the erratic operation of the right fuel tank quantity indicating system.
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Browse: South Carolina · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
