# NTSB ERA11LA071: Cessna 172N, N882AV, Bluffton, SC, November 21, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 20, 2010, 20:00 local (Nov 21, 2010, 01:00 UTC) - Place: Bluffton, SC - Coordinates: 32.220832, -80.862503 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.2208&lon=-80.8625&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report July 12, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA Columbia FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 77870 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA11LA071 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/77870/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77870 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA071 ## Probable cause An in-flight upset of undetermined origin resulting in a forced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Terrain: water](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021020/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 97 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Inflight upset](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/271); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/271/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 74 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/271/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Ditching](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 186 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, the airplane was in cruise flight at 2,000 feet mean sea level, when he felt a violent impact/upset and thought something hit the rudder. The airplane became unstable and started to rock from side to side, causing the pilot to perform a forced landing to a river. The airplane was not located or recovered and is assumed to have sustained substantial damage. The cause of the reported violent impact/upset could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On November 20, 2010, at 2000 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172N, N882AV, registered to MDS Enterprises LLC, experienced an in-flight upset of undetermined origin while maneuvering in the vicinity of Bluffton, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted in accordance with Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot received minor injuries during a forced landing in a river. The flight departed from Hilton Head Airport, Hilton Head, South Carolina, at 1945, en-route to Lowcountry Regional Airport, Walterboro, South Carolina. The pilot stated that while paralleling the river in cruise flight at 2,000 feet mean sea level he felt a "violent" impact/upset and thought something had hit the rudder. The airplane became unstable and started to rock from side to side and he elected to make a forced landing in the river. The insurance company representing the registered owner stated it was not cost effective to attempt to locate or recover the airplane wreckage. The damage to the airplane is assumed to be substantial. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N882AV](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N882AV-2015-05-05), registration cancelled 2015-05-05, S/N 17269667, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17269667 - Airframe hours: 89118 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-HZAD 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: William C. Ambercrombie - Registered owner: Avion Air Academy LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 7, 2010, 337 hours before - Departed: HXD, Hilton Head, SC - Destination: RBW, Walterboro, SC ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 15, 2010; seat: left; flight hours: 113 total, 113 in this make and model, 113 as pilot in command, 22 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 100° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.29 inHg - Observed at: HXD, 14 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20101120052819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20101120052819A), Nov 20, 2010: Cessna 172N, Bluffton, SC, Substantial damage. On November 20, 2010, at approximately 2000L EDT, a Cessna 172N, N882AV, registered to mds enterprises LLC and being operated by a private individual,… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 14, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77870. 676 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 529 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40340097&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Insurance Company Email (item 2, .PDF, 16 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40340091&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Insurance%20Company%20Email-Redacted.PDF - Extract Aircraft Log Books (item 3, .PDF, 130 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40340463&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Extract%20Aircraft%20Log%20Books-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.