Piper PA28 accident near Bishopville, South Carolina, July 7, 2021
On July 7, 2021 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1967 Piper PA28, registered N1592J, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Bishopville, South Carolina (Lee County-Butters Fld airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the student during a go-around, which resulted in a loss of lift and a subsequent collision with the VASI lights.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 2021 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bishopville, South Carolina · Lee County-Butters Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 140, built 1967 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N1592J · no longer on the register · serial 28-24002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that while practicing short field takeoff and landing maneuvers with a helicopter rated commercial pilot, about 25 ft above the runway he called for a go-around when the approach became unstable. When it became apparent to the instructor that the airplane was not climbing, he started to manipulate the flight controls with the student to assist with the go-around maneuver, unaware that the student had retracted the flaps fully to 0° degrees. Subsequently, the airplane lost lift, descended, and struck the Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI) lights before coming to rest in the grass, resulting in substantial damage to the stabilator. The flight instructor reported that there were no preimpact anomalies or malfunctions which would have precluded normal flight.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
- Loss of lift during approach (VFR go-around)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, sport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 17,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 16,500 as pilot in command; 15,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 2, 2020
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,703.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 17, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 2,074 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06/2, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from KHVS, 11 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KHVS 071755Z AUTO 21008KT 10SM CLR 31/21 A3008 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 28, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Instructor and Student Statements | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.