Piper PA32R accident near Westminster, SC
On October 2, 2015, a Piper PA32R (airplane) was involved in an accident near Westminster, SC. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- October 2, 2015
- Place
- Westminster, SC
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32R · Airplane
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 34.598°N, 83.162°W
- NTSB ID
- 20151002X84211
Official records · ERA16FA001
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On October 2, 2015, about 1512 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-301, N782TM, was destroyed when it collided with terrain following an in-flight breakup near Westminster, South Carolina. The private pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Smith Family Aviation, LLC, and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Warsaw Municipal Airport (ASW), Warsaw, Indiana, about 1151, and was destined for Oconee County Regional Airport (CEU), Clemson, South Carolina. According air traffic control information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the en route portion of the flight was uneventful. Due to other traffic landing at CEU and prevailing weather, the pilot was told to expect to hold at the ZEYLM intersection before executing the RNAV runway 7 approach at CEU. At 1504, Atlanta Center coordinated with Greer approach control for the flight to hold at ZEYLM at 6,000 ft mean sea level (msl). Recorded radar data showed that the airplane approached ZEYLM at 6,000 ft on a southeasterly heading. GPS data indicated the airplane track passed over ZEYLM at 1508:08. After passing ZEYLM, the airplane began a turn to the right, consistent with the published holding pattern on the approach chart; however, it continued to turn a full 180° toward the opposite direction. At 1509:19, the flight
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of airplane control for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
More accidents in SC
- Beech 200, Feb 4, 2006
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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.
