Amateur-built VAN'S RV-4 accident near Greenwood, South Carolina, May 9, 1993
On May 9, 1993 at about 10:20 pm local time, a amateur-built VAN'S RV-4, registered N743DR, was destroyed in an accident near Greenwood, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHICH RESULTED FROM THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE. THE LACK OF A CARBURETOR HEAT SOURCE AND THE CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS WERE FACTORS
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 1993 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Greenwood, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VAN'S RV-4
- Registration
- N743DR · registry record · serial 1490
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT FIVE MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, BUT REGAINED POWER FOR 5 SECONDS BEFORE THE ENGINE QUIT AGAIN. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO A FIVE LANE HIGHWAY, BUT COLLIDED WITH TWO ONCOMING TRUCKS ABOUT FIVE FEET ABOVE THE GROUND PRIOR, TO TOUCHDOWN. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO THE ICING PROBABILITY CURVES, WEATHER CONDITIONS EXISTED WHICH WERE FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A CARBURETOR HEAT SOURCE
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: 548 hours in all; 179 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 465 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 179 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 1993; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GRD at 10:15 pm
- Destination: GRD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from GSP, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL93LA090.