Piper PA-28-181 accident near Greer, South Carolina, June 6, 1987
On June 6, 1987 at about 1:14 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N2846N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greer, South Carolina (Greenville Spartanburg airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were 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
- June 6, 1987 · about 1:14 am local time
- Place
- Greer, South Carolina · Greenville Spartanburg
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N2846N · registry record · serial 28-7990490
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ENGINE QUIT DURING DESCENT FOR LANDING. PIC LNDED IN FIELD, LEFT WING STRUCK TREE AND WAS SEPARATED FROM ACFT. PIC RPTED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. ON POST CRASH EXAM ENG RAN PROPERLY AND RIGHT WING FUEL QUANTITY SYS WAS OPERABLE. NO FUEL STAINS WERE SEEN ON THE ACFT. PRE FLT FUEL CONSUMPTION ESTIMATE PROVIDED BY PIC MATCHED PILOT HANDBOOK PERFORMANCE CHARTS. PIC STATED THAT FUEL TANKS WERE FILLED PRIOR TO DEPARTURE BUT WERE NOT COMPLETELY FULL. STATED USEABLE FUEL CAPACITY IS BASED ON FUEL NEARLY FLOWING OUT OF FUEL FILLER HOLE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 728 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 430 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,550 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 20, 1987; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PNS Pensacola FL at 9:30 pm
- Destination: GSP Greer SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 3, 7,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.