Piper PA-28-140 accident near Spartanburg, SC
On August 3, 2002, a Piper PA-28-140 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Spartanburg, SC. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 3, 2002
- Place
- Spartanburg, SC
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 2 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 34.909°N, 81.954°W
- NTSB ID
- 20020807X01315
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 3, 2002, at 1716 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N 7362J, registered to and operated by the pilot, collided with the ground and burst into flames shortly after takeoff from runway 5 at the Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport, Spartanburg, South Carolina. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The private pilot, and one passenger received fatal injuries, two passengers sustained serious injuries. The airplane was destroyed and there was a post-crash fire. The flight departed Spartanburg, South Carolina, on August 3, 2002 at 1714. According to friends of the pilot and passengers, the pilot had completed an earlier flight with three passengers, an returned he short flight, the pilot returned to the ramp and loaded the airplane with three different passengers. A witness stated that the pilot taxied out and took off from runway 5. The witness stated that the pilot raised the airplane several feet above the ground and held that attitude until he pulled back sharply into what seemed to be a high performance climb out from runway 5. Other eyewitnesses at the airport stated that, as the airplane approached the departure end of runway 5, the airplane made a right climbing turn. According to a witness, the airplane did not seem to gain altitude or airspeed. The airplane was next seen in a descending right turn and subsequently collided with the ground. The airplane came to rest nose down on an approximate 45-de
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during the takeoff initial climb which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent collision with an embankment.
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Browse: South Carolina · Piper 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.
