Beech 23A-19 accident near Orangeburg, South Carolina, April 25, 1992
On April 25, 1992 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Beech 23A-19, registered N7973L, was destroyed in an accident near Orangeburg, South Carolina (Orangeburg Municipal Airp 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 DETERIORATION OF THE EXHAUST MUFFLER WHICH RESULTED IN AN INFLIGHT FIRE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 1992 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Orangeburg, South Carolina · Orangeburg Municipal Airp · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 23A-19 · all 23A-19s on the register
- Registration
- N7973L · no longer on the register · serial MB-154
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE PILOT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. HE ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT WHERE HE MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE PILOT TAXIED THE AIRPLANE INTO A GRASSY AREA WHERE IT BURNED. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE EXHAUST MUFFLER HAD DETERIORATED AND THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE MUFFLER ASSEMBLY. THE FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRFRAME TACHOMETER, THEREFORE THE AIRFRAME TOTAL TIME AND TIME SINCE THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WERE 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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,813 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 222 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 1,691 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 5, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SSI Brunswick GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 45,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:31 pm from CAE, 15 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.