Piper PA-28-140 accident near Greenville, South Carolina, September 21, 1991
On September 21, 1991 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N8728N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenville, South Carolina (Greenville Downtown airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE DUAL STUDENT'S IMPROPER POSITIONING OF THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR HANDLE, AND THE CFI'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF HER STUDENT. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS: THE CFI'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE AS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1991 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Greenville, South Carolina · Greenville Downtown
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N8728N · no longer on the register · serial 28-25541
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT AND CFI HAD RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT, WHERE THE STUDENT WAS TO PRACTICE SOME TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. ON DOWNWIND LEG, THE STUDENT PERFORMED A BEFORE LANDING CHECK, WHICH INCLUDED SWITCHING FUEL TANKS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. DURING THE GO-AROUND FOLLOWING THE FIRST LANDING, THE ENGINE QUIT, RESTARTED, THEN QUIT AGAIN. THE CFI TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS AND FORCE LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN A PARKING LOT AT THE AIRPORT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE WAS IN THE 12 O'CLOCK POSITION, OR BETWEEN THE LEFT AND RIGHT TANK POSITIONS. A THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND AIRFRAME REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. THE CFI HAD ONLY 36 HOURS AS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, INCLUDING 6 HOURS IN THIS MODEL.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,750 hours in all; 141 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1,500 as pilot in command; 36 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,716 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 1, 1991; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,393 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:30 pm from GMU, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.