Piper PA-28-151 accident near Charleston, South Carolina, March 15, 2012
On March 15, 2012 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N832KF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Charleston, South Carolina (Charleston Executive airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 2012 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Charleston, South Carolina · Charleston Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N832KF · no longer on the register · serial 28-7515163
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that the airplane touched down hard, bounced, and floated sideways before touching down again on the right main landing gear then the nose landing gear. The airplane's nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest upright on the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the engine firewall. The owner of the airplane stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 27 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,227 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 18, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hilton Head Flyers LLC
The flight
- Departed from: LQK Pickens SC at 4:30 pm
- Destination: JZI Charleston SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 5,350 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from JZI
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.