Piper PA-24-250 accident near Columbia, South Carolina, October 28, 2022
On October 28, 2022 at about 12:00 pm local time, a 1958 Piper PA-24-250, registered N5153P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Columbia, South Carolina (Jim Hamilton L B Owens airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the crosswind landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 28, 2022 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- Columbia, South Carolina · Jim Hamilton L B Owens · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250, built 1958 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5153P · registry record · serial 24-169
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At the conclusion of the return flight, the pilot was landing at his home airport where a significant right crosswind prevailed for the landing runway. The pilot described that, during the final approach for landing, he maintained a right-wing-down attitude and was crabbing the airplane into the wind. As the airplane neared touchdown, the pilot applied left rudder to straighten the airplane’s path; when the right main wheel touched down, the airplane “weather vaned” to the right and into the wind. The airplane’s nose wheel touched down, and the airplane “swerved hard to the left.” His subsequent attempts to correct the airplane’s path were unsuccessful. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, continued down an embankment, struck a berm, and came to rest, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 325 hours in all; 138.8 in this make and model; 8.6 in the last 90 days; 2.6 in the last 30 days; 233.6 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 10, 2022
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,818.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 18, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cjl Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: CDN Camden SC at 11:44 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 5,011 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.32 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from CUB
Weather report (METAR): KCUB 281453Z AUTO 10SM CLR 18/09 A3032 RMK AO2 SLP265 T01780094 51015
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on February 23, 2023. 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 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 6 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.