Piper PA-12 accident near Conway, South Carolina, June 15, 1991
On June 15, 1991 at about 5:36 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N2GV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Conway, South Carolina. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
FAILURE OF THE NUMBER TWO EXHAUST VALVE, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 1991 · about 5:36 pm local time
- Place
- Conway, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N2GV · registry record · serial 12-824
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BANNER TOW PILOT WAS CRUISING ADJACENT TO A LOCAL GOLF COURSE AT 1000 AGL WHEN HE EXPERIENCED A GRADUAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOLLOWED BY A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. ATTEMPTS TO REGAIN FULL POWER AND RESTART THE ENGINE FAILED. THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE INTO POSITION FOR AN APPROACH TO A FAIRWAY AND RELEASED THE BANNER. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST 15 FEET OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE FAIRWAY IN A WOODED AREA. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATIONS OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE #2 EXHAUST VALVE HAD FAILED. THE ENGINE WAS LAST OVERHAULED 2556 HOURS PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT. THE EXHAUST VALVE'S TIME IN SERVICE WAS NOT DETERMINED.
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
- Flight time: 4,293 hours in all; 1,581 in this make and model; 260 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 4,058 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,556 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 23, 1990; 180 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sky Signs, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Conway SC at 5:26 pm
- Destination: N Myrtle Beach SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:47 pm from CRE, 25 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.