Piper PA-34-200T accident near Laurens, South Carolina, August 1, 1988
On August 1, 1988 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N8191J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Laurens, South Carolina (Laurens County 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
- August 1, 1988 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Laurens, South Carolina · Laurens County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8191J · registry record · serial 34-8070191
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT WHEN HE LANDED, EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL UNTIL HE WAS LOWERING THE NOSE TO THE RWY DRG THE LANDING ROLL. AT THAT TIME, THE LEFT WING BEGAN TO SETTLE. AT FIRST, HE THOUGHT THE LEFT TIRE WAS GOING FLAT, BUT THE SETTLING CONTINUED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WENT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY & DAMAGED 2 RWY LIGHTS BEFORE SKIDDING TO A STOP. AN EXAM REVEALED THE LEFT MAIN GEAR STRUT HOUSING/TRUNNION HAD FAILED. A METALLURGICAL EXAM REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF FATIGUE IN THE STRUT BARREL.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,207 hours in all; 254 in this make and model; 108 in the last 90 days; 4,176 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,818 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 6, 1988; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental LTSIO-360-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GMU Greenville SC at 7:45 pm
- Destination: CRE N. Myrtle Beach SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from GSP, 26 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.