Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Cleveland, South Carolina, December 24, 1982
On December 24, 1982 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N9327N, was destroyed in an accident near Cleveland, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. 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
- December 24, 1982 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Cleveland, South Carolina
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N9327N · no longer on the register · serial 28R35027
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED HE WAS VFR ON TOP OF A BROKEN CLOUD LAYER & DECIDED TO DESCEND THROUGH AN OPENING. AFTER DESCENDING CLEAR OF THE CLOUDS HE WAS IN A PASS WITH HILLS ON EACH SIDE & NOT ENOUGH ROOM TO TURN AROUND. HE CONTINUED NORTH ALONG THE HIGHWAY HOPING THE PASS WOULD WIDEN. AS THE HIGHWAY STARTED OVER A HILL THE ACFT ENTERED A CLOUD. THE PLT EXECUTED A STEEP TURN & HAD ALMOST COMPLETED THE 180 WHEN HE SAW THAT HE WAS GOING TO CRASH INTO THE TREES.
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
- Flight time: 164 hours in all; 153 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 139 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,087 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C Sarasota FL
- Destination: C Asheville NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 127°F (53°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.