Piper PA-20 accident near Elgin, SC
On March 25, 2011, a Piper PA-20 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Elgin, SC. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- March 25, 2011
- Place
- Elgin, SC
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 34.144°N, 80.762°W
- NTSB ID
- 20110325X51846
Official records · ERA11FA210
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 25, 2011 about 1352 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-20, N7746K, registered to a private individual, experienced a loss of engine power in the vicinity of Elgin, South Carolina, and collided with trees during a forced landing. The airplane was operating as 14 Code of Federal Regulation Part 91 personal flight. The airplane sustained substantial damage and a post crash fire ensued. The certificated commercial pilot was killed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Bloecher Farm Airport (92NY) Strykersville, New York, at an undetermined time with a final destination of Lakeland, Florida. A witness stated he heard the airplanes engine "struggling." The airplane crashed and within 5 to 7 seconds, it exploded. Another witness stated he was standing outside his shop with a customer and heard a small plane flying overhead. The airplane was flying at a slow airspeed between 200 to 300 feet north of Interstate 20 traveling in the direction of Columbia, South Carolina. The engine was surging up and down or sputtering like it was "running out of fuel." The airplane passed behind the shop and he observed the nose pitch up to an attitude between 35 to 40 degrees. The nose then pitched straight down. At first he thought the pilot would pull up, but when the airplane went below the tree line, he knew it was going to crash PERSONNEL INFORMATION The certificated commercial pilot, age 71, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane, issued on
Probable cause
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion resulting from the pilot’s inadequate preflight planning. Contributing to the accident was that the pilot did not maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
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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.
