Piper PA-28R-200 accident near St. Simons Isl., Georgia, September 4, 1983
On September 4, 1983 at about 1:26 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N4992S, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Simons Isl., Georgia (Malcolm-Mckinnon airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- September 4, 1983 · about 1:26 am local time
- Place
- St. Simons Isl., Georgia · Malcolm-Mckinnon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N4992S · no longer on the register · serial 28R-35717
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL, THE PLT BEGAN AN APCH TO RWY 04 ON A DARK NIGHT. THE APCH TO THE RWY WAS OVER A BAY INLET & RIVER CONFLUENCE. THE PLT THOUGHT THAT THE ACFT WAS HIGH WHEN IT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH. HOWEVER IT COLLIDED WITH TREES, IMPACTED ON A ROAD SHORT OF THE RWY, THEN SLID THRU A PERIMETER FENCE. A TOXICOLOGICAL CHECK OF THE PLT'S BLOOD INDICATED AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.18%. THE RWY HAS A 1000 FT DISPLACED THRESHOLD DUE TO OBSTACLES. NO VASI LIGHTS WERE INSTALLED, BUT THE MEDIUM INTENSITY RWY LIGHTS & RWY END INDENTIFICATION LIGHTS WERE OPERATING.
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: 430 hours in all; 102 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,222 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 55J Fernandino Bch.
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 5,406 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:30 am from SSI
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.