Piper PA-24-250 accident near Beaufort, South Carolina, January 2, 1983
On January 2, 1983 at about 3:28 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N8066P, was destroyed in an accident near Beaufort, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 1983 · about 3:28 pm local time
- Place
- Beaufort, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N8066P · no longer on the register · serial 24-3313
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE IN IMC, THE ATC CONTROLLER NOTED THAT THE ACFT BEGAN TO REVERSE COURSE & ASKED THE PLT IF HE WAS HAVING A PROBLEM. THE PLT RESPONDED THAT THE ACFT WAS IN CLOUDS, HE WAS HAVING PROBLEM WITH HIS ARTIFICIAL HORIZON & THAT HE DIDN'T REALIZE HE WAS IN A TURN. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE REPORTED FAILURES OF THE ARTIFICIAL HORIZON & AUTOPILOT, AND SAID HE WAS USING NEEDLE, BALL & AIRSPEED. THE CONTROLLER PROVIDED GYRO OUT PROCEDURES, BUT THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN AN ALTITUDE & HEADING. ALSO, WX THRU-OUT THE AREA CONSISTED OF LOW CEILINGS & CLOUDS TO ABOVE 18,000 FT. THE PLT WAS ADVISED THE BEST WX AROUND WAS AT CHATTANOOGA, TN, WHICH HAD 1300 SCATTERED, 2000 FT OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 3 MI WITH LIGHT RAIN & FOG. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST. PARTS OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND IN THE COMBHEE RIVER. THE RIGHT WING WAS FOUND ABOUT 1000 FT FROM THE RIVER. THE VACUUM PUMP, ENG, TURN & BANK INDICATOR AND SEVERAL OTHER ITEMS WERE RECOVERED FROM THE RIVER, BUT NO MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THESE WAS FOUND.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,058 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,814 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 29, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FMY Ft. Meyer FL at 12:58 pm
- Destination: Wilmington NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 6 knots, gusting 13
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 400 ft; not recorded at 400 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from NBC, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.