Piper PA-28-180 accident near Cheraw, SC
On August 3, 2002, a Piper PA-28-180 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Cheraw, SC. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- August 3, 2002
- Place
- Cheraw, SC
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 34.709°N, 79.969°W
- NTSB ID
- 20020807X01322
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 3, 2002, about 1539 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N3450R, listed with FAA records as "Registration Pending", collided with trees then terrain approximately .25 nautical mile west-southwest of the approach end of runway 07 at Cheraw Municipal/Lynch Bellinger Field Airport, Cheraw, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot was fatally injured, a passenger sustained serious injuries. The flight originated about 5 minutes earlier from the Cheraw Municipal/Lynch Bellinger Field Airport. The pilot was observed performing a preflight inspection of the airplane, and after the engine was started, the pilot taxied to runway 07. The flight departed runway 07, and remained in the traffic pattern where one witness noted the airplane appeared to be at traffic pattern altitude while flying on the downwind leg. Another witness on the airport reported he observed the airplane flying on the downwind leg for runway 07, and when the flight was about 3/4 down the length of the runway, the engine lost power. He further stated that the engine sounded as if it, "...wanted to start once more but than did not refire." A witness located off the airport reported hearing the engine and stated, "It was [sputtering] then it cut back on; then it went back off", and, "It sounded like it ran out of gas." Several witnesses on the airport reported that from the point the engine lost power, the flight path wa
Probable cause
The misrouting of the fuel lines to the fuel selector, which resulted in the use of a fuel tank with inadequate fuel supply, fuel starvation, and the loss of engine power. Contributing was the pilot's inadequate remedial action for conducting an emergency landing.
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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.
