Piper PA-32RT-300 accident near Charleston, South Carolina, August 9, 2011
On August 9, 2011 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300, registered N30731, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Charleston, South Carolina (Charleston International 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
The pilot's decision to continue the approach and landing at a high airspeed, which resulted in an improper touchdown point and subsequent runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2011 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Charleston, South Carolina · Charleston International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300 · all PA-32RT-300s on the register
- Registration
- N30731 · registry record · serial 32R-7885089
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was approaching the airport for landing at an altitude of 2,500 feet. He requested and received clearance for a 360-degree turn to lose altitude prior to continuing the landing approach. The pilot stated that the airplane's airspeed was too high as it crossed the runway threshold, but he elected to continue the landing. The airplane touched down, but the pilot was unable to stop the airplane before it traveled off the end of the runway and impacted a fence, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane and that he should have executed a go-around rather than continuing the approach and landing.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing area overshoot during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Incorrect use/operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 759 hours in all; 411 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 691 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 24, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,839 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 21, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DYB Summerville SC at 1:00 pm
- Destination: CHS Charleston SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 pm from CHS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.