Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Laurinburg, North Carolina, September 5, 1993
On September 5, 1993 at about 1:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N5339F, was destroyed in an accident near Laurinburg, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED, AND INADVERTENTLY EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 1993 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Laurinburg, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N5339F · registry record · serial 32R-7680503
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT ENCOUNTERED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. AN EXAM OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED EVIDENCE OF AN IN-FLIGHT BREAK-UP WITH WRECKAGE SCATTERED OVER A 1000 BY 300 FOOT AREA. LARGE PIECES OF THE AIRPLANE, SUCH AS THE LEFT WING, WERE FOUND MORE THAN 150 FEET TO THE SIDE OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE PATH. NO RECORD WAS FOUND OF THE PILOT RECEIVING A WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE FLIGHT. WITNESSES STATED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THERE WAS HEAVY RAIN, LIGHTNING, AND REDUCED VISIBILITY IN THE AREA.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,042 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1993; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRE Myrtle Beach SC at 12:30 pm
- Destination: LEX Lexington KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:46 pm from FAY, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.