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MIA01LA014

2000-10-21 · RIDGELAND, South Carolina, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 3J1

N545CM has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (CESSNA 510, built 2015), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed on final approach resulting in the aircraft settling fast, touching down hard, and colliding with an embankment on the side of the runway, where it came to rest inverted.

Factual narrative

On October 21, 2000, about 1050 eastern daylight time, a Craig R. Merrill Luton Beta, N545CM, registered to an individual, crashed during landing at Ridgeland Airport, Ridgeland, South Carolina, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot received minor injuries. The flight originated from Ridgeland, South Carolina, the same day, about 1040. The pilot stated that after a short local flight, he returned to the airport and entered the pattern for a landing on runway 3. On final approach he set the attitude for landing and the aircraft settled quicker and faster than he anticipated. When the aircraft touched down, it bounced and went to the right. He attempted to apply engine power but it was too late. The aircraft went down the embankment on the right side of the runway and crashed, coming to rest inverted. The pilot stated that during landing approach the aircraft settled faster than he anticipated and landed hard. The aircraft then bounced and went to the right where it went down an embankment and turned over inverted. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2000_MIA01LA014.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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