Piper PA-28-151 accident near Conway, South Carolina, October 31, 1994
On October 31, 1994 at about 7:35 am local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N7207C, was destroyed in an accident near Conway, South Carolina (Horry County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE DURING THE MISSED APPROACH, RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH TREES AND TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS (LOW CEILING, FOG), AND THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION OUTSIDE THE COCKPIT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 31, 1994 · about 7:35 am local time
- Place
- Conway, South Carolina · Horry County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N7207C · no longer on the register · serial 28-7615046
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL/CFI WAS FLYING A VOR/DME APPROACH, AT NIGHT, TO AN UNCONTROLLED FIELD. HE WAS SEATED IN THE RIGHT SEAT. THE CLOSEST WEATHER STATION WAS REPORTING 200 FOOT OVERCAST SKIES. THE PILOT WAS AWARE OF LOW GROUND FOG, AND ASKED THE LEFT SEAT PILOT (NOT INSTRUMENT RATED) TO LOOK FOR THE RUNWAY. AT THE MISSED APPROACH POINT, THE RUNWAY WAS NOT IN SIGHT, AND THE PILOT EXECUTED A MISSED APPROACH. AFTER ABOUT 180 DEGREES OF TURN, THE LEFT SEATER CALLED OUT THAT HE THOUGHT HE SAW THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT LOOKED OVER HIS LEFT SHOULDER, OUT THE LEFT, REAR WINDOW, FOR THE RUNWAY. HE DID NOT RECALL ANY SUBSEQUENT EVENTS, BUT STATED THAT HE WAS HAVING NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRCRAFT OR INSTRUMENTS. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TALL TREES ABOUT 1/2 MILE EAST OF THE RUNWAY. A PASSENGER REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING UNTIL THE COLLISION OCCURRED. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION/FAILURE. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED HIS CFI CERTIFICATE 5 DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 262 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 118 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 194 as pilot in command; 21 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,110 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 11, 1994; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Consolidated Aviation Svcs INC
The flight
- Departed from: ACY Atlantic City NJ at 3:00 am
- Destination: HYW SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 4, 4,400 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 020° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:30 am from MYR, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.