Piper PA-28-140 accident near Seneca, South Carolina, August 26, 2025
On August 26, 2025 at about 12:31 pm local time, a 1967 Piper PA-28-140, registered N1684J, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Seneca, South Carolina (Oconee County Rgnl 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 2025 · about 12:31 pm local time
- Place
- Seneca, South Carolina · Oconee County Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140, built 1967 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N1684J · registry record · serial 28-24086
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 26, 2025, at 0831 eastern standard time, a Piper PA28-140, N1684J, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Seneca, South Carolina. The sole occupant, a student pilot, received minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The student pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to perform a cross-country flight as part of training to obtain a private pilot certificate. Prior to the flight, the student pilot performed a preflight inspection of the airplane and noted that “all appeared to be normal and functioning correctly.” After refueling the airplane with 25.2 gallons, the pilot estimated the airplane had 42 gallons of total fuel onboard. He also estimated that 7 gallons of fuel would be required for the round-trip flight. The takeoff and climb from Jackson County Airport (JCA), Jefferson, Georgia were reported to be uneventful. The cruise altitude was 5,500 ft mean sea level (msl). Cruise and the subsequent descent were also reported to be uneventful. The pilot planned to enter the midfield downwind leg of the traffic pattern for landing on runway 25 at Oconee County Regional Airport (CEU), Seneca, South Carolina. After he entered the traffic pattern on the downwind leg, he selected full flaps. When the airplane was about 600 ft above ground level (agl), during the downwind to base turn, the pilot stated that engine began “misfiring and then shut off.” The pilot adjusted pitch to maintain 80 miles per hour and aimed the airplane towards the runway. The pilot attempted to troubleshoot by switching fuel tanks, moving the mixture control to the full rich position, and opening and closing the throttle. At 100 ft agl, the pilot determined that gliding to the runway was unlikely and aimed for a nearby field. At 0831, surveillance camera footage showed a low wing airplane strike a utility pole, before it impacted the tree line. A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector examined the airplane at the accident site and noted that the wings, engine mounts and fuselage of the airplane sustained substantial damage. The wreckage was recovered and retained for further examination.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,881.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 22, 2025; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Jarriel Investments INC
The flight
- Departed from: JCA Jefferson GA at 12:00 pm
- Destination: CEU Seneca GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 am from CEU
Weather report (METAR): KCEU 261154Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 18/17 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP195 T01780172 10194 20172 53017
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA25LA316.