Piper PA-46-310 accident near Aiken, South Carolina, March 11, 1992
On March 11, 1992 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-46-310, registered N4387V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aiken, South Carolina (Aiken Muni airport). It was a personal 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 UNEXPECTED, GUSTING CROSSWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 1992 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Aiken, South Carolina · Aiken Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46-310 · all PA-46-310s on the register
- Registration
- N4387V · no longer on the register · serial 46-8508043
- 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 HE OBTAINED A STANDARD WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE DEPARTING FOR THE FLIGHT. THE BREIFING NOTED THAT A SIGMET WAS IN EFFECT FOR SEVERE TURBULENCE AND WIND SHEAR. DURING THE FINAL APPROACH AT HIS DESTINATION HE OBSERVED THE WIND SOCK PERIODICALLY AND NOTED THAT IT INDICATED THE WIND WAS ALIGNED WITH THE RUNWAY. AT TOUCH DOWN THE LEFT WING WAS LIFTED BY A WIND GUST, THE PILOT SAID, WHICH COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED WITH THE AILERON. THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY TO THE RIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN THE COLLAPSE OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,080 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,020 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,753 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1992; 92 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-BE (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: A-1 Leasing,Inc
The flight
- Departed from: 04J Darlington SC at 6:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from AGS, 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.