Piper PA-24-400 accident near Dovesville, South Carolina, August 3, 1992
On August 3, 1992 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-400, registered N8620P, was destroyed in an accident near Dovesville, South Carolina (Darlington County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHICH RESULTED FROM AN UNDETERMINED MALFUNCTION OF THE IGNITION SYSTEM. A FACTOR WAS FOG.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 1992 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dovesville, South Carolina · Darlington County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-400 · all PA-24-400s on the register
- Registration
- N8620P · no longer on the register · serial 24-144
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING AT 7500 FEET MSL THE PILOT REPORTED A GRADUAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT ESTABLISHED RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WITH FLORENCE APPROACH CONTROL AND ADVISED THE CONTROLLER OF HIS ENGINE PROBLEM. THE PILOT WAS GIVEN RADAR VECTORS TO DARLINGTON COUNTY AIRPORT, THE NEAREST SUITABLE AIRPORT. ANOTHER PILOT FLYING IN THE SECOND AIRPLANE IN THE FLIGHT SUGGESTED SEVERAL REMEDIES FOR THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. FINALLY, HE SUGGESTED THAT THE PILOT CHECK THE MAGNETOS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE RAN SMOOTHLY ON ONE MAGNETO BUT THE ENGINE ALMOST QUIT WHEN SWITCHED TO THE OTHER MAGNETO. MOMENTS LATER THE PILOT REPORTED A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED OFF THE RADAR SCOPE AND CRASHED 3 MILES SHORT OF DARLINGTON COUNTY AIRPORT. THE SECOND AIRPLANE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT BUT THE PILOT REPORTED A LAYER OF FOG AT THE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT FORCES AND THE POST CRASH FIRE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 400 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I0-720 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Burke Coal Company
The flight
- Departed from: LNP Wise VA at 12:00 pm
- Destination: CRE N.Myrtle Beach SC
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 23, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:56 pm from FLO, 30 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.