Piper PA-34-200 accident near Columbia, South Carolina, December 8, 2005
On December 8, 2005 at about 5:44 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N997BW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbia, South Carolina (Columbia Metropolitan airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Maintenance personnel's improper installation of the stabilator trim arm which resulted in separation of a bolt, loss of control during takeoff, and a subsequent hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 2005 · about 5:44 am local time
- Place
- Columbia, South Carolina · Columbia Metropolitan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N997BW · no longer on the register · serial 34-7450064
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During takeoff the pilot rotated the airplane, and the airplane pitched up violently. The pilot lost control and the airplane climbed to approximately 200 feet. The pilot regained control of the airplane and conducted an emergency landing. The airplane collided with the runway, and veered off the right side of the departure end of runway. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that the nose gear strut punctured through the forward bulkhead, and cockpit instrument panel. Examination of the stabilator trim revealed one of the two bolts required on the stabilator trim arm was missing. Review of aircraft logbooks revealed the last inspection conducted on the airplane was a 100-hour completed on November 29, 2005. In addition to the 100-hour inspection, a repair was performed on the stabilator. Review of maintenance records showed that the airplane had flown 13 flight hours since the stabilator repair and prior to the accident.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,010 hours in all; 475 in this make and model; 361 in the last 90 days; 185 in the last 30 days; 1,710 as pilot in command; 905 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,349.2 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 1, 2005; 13.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CAE Columbia SC at 5:44 am
- Destination: CHS Charleston SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 29, 8,601 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 060° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.56 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from CAE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.