Piper PA-12 accident near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, July 8, 1991
On July 8, 1991 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N4401M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It was an other work-use 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 FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE LACK OF A SUITABLE LANDING SITE AND THE WATER DITCHING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 1991 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Myrtle Beach, 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
- N4401M · registry record · serial 12-3341
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF OPERATION, DURING A BANNER TOW FLIGHT, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGHLY. THE AIRPLANE WAS AT 300 FEET OVER THE OCEAN ADJACENT TO A PUBLIC BEACH. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE THE PILOT DITCHED IN THE OCEAN TO AVOID THE CROWDED BEACH. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NO. 4 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE HAD BROKEN AT THE PISTON END. THE ENGINE HAD 1939 HOURS SINCE THE LAST OVERHAUL.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 761 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 280 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 6, 1991; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sky Signs, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Conway SC at 4:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from CRE, 1 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.