Amateur-built AVID AIRCRAFT FLYER accident near Winnsboro, South Carolina, April 18, 1993
On April 18, 1993 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built AVID AIRCRAFT FLYER, registered N31187, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winnsboro, South Carolina (Fairfield County). 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 pilot's failure to maintain the airspeed above the stall speed, during the forced landing. A factor was the undetermined engine malfunction.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 1993 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Winnsboro, South Carolina · Fairfield County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AVID AIRCRAFT FLYER AVID AIRCR
- Registration
- N31187 · registry record · serial 767
- 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 THE ENGINE LOST POWER AT ABOUT 800 FEET AGL, DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF. A 180 DEGREE TURN WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND THE AIRPLANE WAS ALIGNED WITH THE RUNWAY FOR LANDING. ABOUT 60 FEET AGL, OVER THE RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE STALLED; TOO LOW FOR THE PILOT TO RECOVER. THE AIRPLANE HIT THE GROUND IN A RIGHT WING AND NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. AN ENTRY WAS FOUND IN THE AIRCRAFT LOG BOOK THAT INDICATED A PREVIOUS ENGINE MALFUNCTION BECAUSE OF A CARBURETOR SETTING THAT WAS TOO LEAN. HOWEVER, AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT DID NOT REVEAL AN ABNORMALITY, AND THE ENGINE WAS OPERATED AT IDLE POWER.
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
- Flight time: 171 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 131 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 18 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 19, 1993; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582UL (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from CAE, 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.