Piper PA-24-180 accident near Cordesville, South Carolina, January 4, 2000
On January 4, 2000 at about 2:30 am local time, a Piper PA-24-180, registered N5703P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cordesville, South Carolina (Moncks Corner Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate inflight planning that resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 4, 2000 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Cordesville, South Carolina · Moncks Corner Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-180 · all PA-24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N5703P · no longer on the register · serial 24-776
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Approximately five hours and fifteen minutes into the flight, the pilot radioed Approach Control and requested landing. Minutes after the initial radio contact, the pilot reported that the airplane had run out of fuel. The pilot was issued radar vectors to the nearest airport. Seconds later, radio and radar contact was lost. Within about two minutes an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) signal was reported by another airplane flying in the vicinity of the downed airplane. The accident airplane was located by the ground search operation the morning following the accident. Examination of the airframe also failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction or the failure of related component assemblies. Approximately 1/2 gallon of fuel was recovered from the right fuel tank. The left fuel tank was ruptured. The engine operated up to 1700 rpm during the functional engine check.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 850 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,451 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 14, 1999; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 39N Princeton NJ at 9:15 pm
- Destination: SAV Savannah GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 am from CHS, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.