Piper PA-22-160 accident near Columbia, South Carolina, March 12, 1994
On March 12, 1994 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-160, registered N8647D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbia, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The poor inspection of the aircraft during the annual inspection by maintenance personnel. A factor in the accident was the foreign object found in the carburetor bowl.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 1994 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Columbia, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-160 · all PA-22-160s on the register
- Registration
- N8647D · no longer on the register · serial 22-5855
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AN ANNUAL INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS COMPLETED ON MARCH 1, 1994. THIS WAS TO BE THE SECOND FLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT FOLLOWING THE INSPECTION. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER DEPARTURE, AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 1700 FEET, THE ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING POWER. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS EXECUTED INTO A FRESHLY PLOWED FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE REVEALED THAT A FOREIGN OBJECT (APPEARED TO BE A PIECE OF ELECTRICAL TAPE) WAS LODGED IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL. THE PILOT/OWNER REPORTED THAT THE MECHANIC, WHO CONDUCTED THE ANNUAL INSPECTION, STATED TO HIM THAT DURING THE POST MAINTENANCE FLIGHT FOLLOWING THE INSPECTION, THE ENGINE SEEMED TO BE MISSING. THE MECHANIC WAS REPORTED AS STATING THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME TRASH IN THE FUEL LINES OR CARBURETOR, BUT THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM.
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: 600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,692 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1994; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,840 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 49J Hilton Head SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:52 pm from CAE, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.