Piper PA-24-180 accident near Moncks Corner, South Carolina, August 2, 1993
On August 2, 1993 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-180, registered N7027P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moncks Corner, South Carolina (Berkley County 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
FAILURE OF THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER AT THE CYLINDER FLANGE RADIUS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 1993 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Moncks Corner, South Carolina · Berkley County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-180 · all PA-24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7027P · registry record · serial 24-2174
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENGINE LOST POWER DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AT 2000 FEET AGL. THE PILOT FORCE LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES EAST OF THE AIRPORT. THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED ON ROLLOUT WHEN IT STRUCK A LINE OF BUSHES. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER HAD BROKEN OFF IN THE FLANGE RADIUS, WHICH RESULTED IN FAILURE OF THE NUMBER ONE PISTON AT THE WRIST PIN. NO EVIDENCE OF FATIGUE WAS FOUND ON THE CYLINDER FRACTURE SURFACES.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 6,200 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,366 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 3, 1992; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GGE Georgetown SC at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 3,801 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; not recorded at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from CHS, 20 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.