20260228001899A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172L · Bennettsville, SC · February 28, 2026

Date: February 28, 2026 · 17:05 local
Place: Bennettsville, SC
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7864G
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA26LA132
Reported as: Cessna 172L
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,542 total1,666 in this make and model63 in the last 90 days

N7864GRegistered now · Cessna 172LS/N 17259564 · Built 1970 Airframe modelCessna 172L Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Pilot stated that he intended to land at a private airport and as he approached their grass strip, he could not see their runway due to the sun being in his eyes. He landed to right of their landing strip in another field. Pilot stated that in order to depart he taxied to a paved road that ran parallel to the right side of their airfield. On departure the left-wing of the airplane struck a tree and caused substantial damage to the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATED THAT HE INTENDED TO LAND AT A PRIVATE AIRPORT AND AS HE APPROACHED THEIR GRASS STRIP, HE COULD NOT SEE THEIR RUNWAY DUE TO THE SUN BEING IN HIS EYES. HE LANDED TO RIGHT OF THEIR LANDING STRIP IN ANOTHER FIELD. PILOT STATED THAT IN ORDER TO DEPART HE TAXIED TO A PAVED ROAD THAT RAN PARALLEL TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THEIR AIRFIELD. ON DEPARTURE THE LEFT-WING OF THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE AND CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA26LA132Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBennettsville, SCThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees on takeoff from a rural road.Feb 28, 2026 · Substantial damage