Boeing 727-200 accident near Charleston, South Carolina, July 28, 2000
On July 28, 2000 at about 9:37 pm local time, a Boeing 727-200, registered N364PA, suffered minor damage in an accident near Charleston, South Carolina. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 2 people were seriously injured and 14 people had minor injuries; 53 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate evaluation of weather information, and his delay in taking remedial action that resulted in the in-flight encounter with severe weather.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2000 · about 9:37 pm local time
- Place
- Charleston, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 14 people had minor injuries; 53 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 727-200 · all 727-200s on the register
- Registration
- N364PA · registry record · serial 21107
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At 1703:55, the enroute control center, reported hazardous weather conditions for the southeast United States in a convective SIGMET several minutes before the flight encountered severe weather. At approximately 1730, while flying at flight level 330 the pilot deviated to avoid thunderstorm activity. At approximately the same time, the pilot turned on the fasten seat-belt sign, and advised the flight attendants to secure their stations. The flight encountered severe turbulence as the pilot maneuvered to avoid convective activity.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,400 hours in all; 5,600 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 47,930 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 27, 2000; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 197,700 lb
- Seats: 154
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-15 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pan Am Airways CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: SFB Orlando FL at 8:53 pm
- Destination: PIT Pittsburgh PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 13,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from CHS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| Passengers | 1 | 11 | 49 |
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.