Maule MX-7-180 accident near Greenville, South Carolina, April 28, 1987
On April 28, 1987 at about 9:26 pm local time, a Maule MX-7-180, registered N5670C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenville, South Carolina (Greenville Downtown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
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
- April 28, 1987 · about 9:26 pm local time
- Place
- Greenville, South Carolina · Greenville Downtown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule MX-7-180 · all MX-7-180s on the register
- Registration
- N5670C · no longer on the register · serial 11031C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS DOING TOUCH AND GO'S TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH HIS NEW AIRCRAFT. ON THE FIFTH LANDING THE AIRCRAFT STARTED A GROUNDLOOP AND HE RECOVERED BY ADDING FULL POWER. ON THE NEXT LANDING THE AIRCRAFT AGAIN STARTED A GROUNDLOOP TO THE RIGHT, HE ADDED FULL POWER BUT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY. HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT HIT A DITCH AND NOSED DOWN.
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: 474 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 402 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C1F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,393 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:57 pm from GSP, 8 miles away
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.