Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Columbia, South Carolina, November 7, 1983
On November 7, 1983 at about 4:42 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N1750H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbia, South Carolina (Columbia Metro Airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 7, 1983 · about 4:42 pm local time
- Place
- Columbia, South Carolina · Columbia Metro Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N1750H · registry record · serial 32R-7780189
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE, THE ACFT'S AMMETER WENT TO A ZERO READING, AND SUBSEQUENTLY, A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE OCCURRED. PRIOR TO LANDING, THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR BY LETTING IT FREEFALL, IN ACCORDANCE WITH RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES. THE GEAR WARNING HORN & GEAR INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. DURING THE LANDING, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED & THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT THE ALTERNATOR DRIVE BELT HAD FAILED & THE ACFT BATTERY HAD BECOME DISCHARGED. WITH AN EXTERNAL POWER SOURCE CONECTED, THE LANDING GEAR & INDICATORS FUNCTINED PROPERLY WHEN CHECKED ON THE GROUND.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 762 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 625 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,831 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 27, 1983; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ATL Atlanta GA at 3:12 pm
- Destination: CAE Columbia SC
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 11, 7,551 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL84LA041.