Piper PA28-140 accident near Holly Hill, South Carolina, July 8, 1989
On July 8, 1989 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Piper PA28-140, registered N4594T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Holly Hill, South Carolina (Holly Hill airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT MISJUDGED HIS LANDING APPROACH PATH AND CROSSED THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD TOO HIGH TO SAFELY COMPLETE THE LANDING. HE ALSO FLARED THE AIRPLANE AT TOO HIGH AN ALTITUDE RESULTING IN A STALL TO A HARD TOUCHDOWN ON THE NOSE WHEEL EXCEEDING THE STRUCTURAL CAPABILITY OF THE STRUT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 1989 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Holly Hill, South Carolina · Holly Hill · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-140 · all PA28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N4594T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7225195
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER THE SHORT FLIGHT FROM SUMMERVILLE TO HOLLY HILL, HE DESCENDED TO 900 FT AGL AND MADE A CIRCUIT OF THE FIELD. HE NOTED THE WIND TO BE FROM 250 DEGREES AT 10-15 KTS BY THE WINDSOCK. HE SET UP FOR A SHORT FIELD APPROACH TO RUNWAY 22. AFTER CLEARING TREES ON THE APPROACH, HE STEEPENED THE DESCENT BY LOWERING THE NOSE. HE CROSSED THE THRESHOLD AT 150 TO 175 FEET AND WHEN 1200 FT PAST THE THRESHOLD, THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 10 FEET OFF THE GROUND. AT THAT TIME HE STATED THAT HE OBSERVED THE WINDSOCK TO SHIFT 180 DEGREES. THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO DROP AND HE APPLIED FULL POWER. THE AIRPLANE HIT HARD, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER.
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: 1,597 hours in all; 412 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 61J Summerville SC at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,900 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.