Cirrus Design Corp. SR20 accident near Greenwood, South Carolina, April 19, 2004
On April 19, 2004 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cirrus Design Corp. SR20, registered N8157J, was destroyed in an accident near Greenwood, South Carolina (Greenwood County airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during initial climb that resulted in an inadvertent stall and the subsequent collision with trees. A factor was the inadequate preflight planning/preparation when he failed to lower the wing flaps.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 2004 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Greenwood, South Carolina · Greenwood County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design Corp. SR20
- Registration
- N8157J · no longer on the register · serial 1370
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was observed by a witness taxing to the active 5000-foot-long runway and depart without an engine run-up. The witness also reported that the wing flaps were in the retracted position. Another witness described the takeoff roll as long and that the airplane remained about 10 to 15 feet above the runway as it approached the departure end of the runway. The witness reported that as the airplane approached the end of the runway the airplane suddenly pitched up at a steep angle to an altitude of about 300-400 feet. The airplane then slowed and appeared to experience a stall rotating about 175-degrees on its vertical axis to the left. About half way down from the 175-degree rotation point observed a slight pitch up of nose, and then airplane entered a near vertical dive to the left. The airplane disappeared from view behind a tree line and two consecutive loud bangs were heard followed by fire ball and black smoke. Examination of the crash site revealed the flap jack screw was found in the up position. According to the pilot operating handbook, the normal procedure for takeoff is for flaps to be extended to 50 percent. The takeoff ground distance, based on performance data, is 1776 feet. No anomalies were noted with the airframe, flight controls, or engine assembly during the post accident examination of the wreckage.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 847 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 7, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 319.5 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 30, 2004; 39.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-ES (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Aero Atlanta Flight Center
The flight
- Departed from: GRD Greenwood SC at 6:00 pm
- Destination: RYY Marietta GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,003 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 6:28 pm from GRD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.