Cessna 414A accident near Anderson, South Carolina, August 24, 1997
On August 24, 1997 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 414A, registered N4668N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anderson, South Carolina (Anderson County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot misjudged distance and speed on final approach to land and failed to attain a proper touchdown point during the landing, which resulted in an overrun of the runway and collision with a fence. A related factor was the loss of engine power during flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 1997 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Anderson, South Carolina · Anderson County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414A · all 414As on the register
- Registration
- N4668N · registry record · serial 414A0061
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight was en route from Charlotte, North Carolina to Atlanta, Georgia, when the left engine lost power. The pilot declared an emergency and initiated an emergency landing at the Anderson County Airport. He and witnesses stated that the airplane touched down about halfway down the runway and departed the end of the runway. The airplane then struck a fence and crossed a road before it came to a stop. An FAA inspector found the left engine to have seized, and it contained a large hole in the top of the engine case.
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: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,168 hours in all; 791 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,019 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 6,785 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CLT Charlotte NC at 3:30 pm
- Destination: PDK Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 5, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:30 pm from AND, 1 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.