Short Bros SD 360-300 accident near Greer, South Carolina, April 16, 2015
On April 16, 2015 at about 3:00 am local time, a 1984 Short Bros SD 360-300, registered N688AN, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) not oper) near Greer, South Carolina (Greenville Spartanburg Intl airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 fuel truck driver's inattention, which resulted in backing over a warning cone and into the horizontal stabilizer of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 2015 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Greer, South Carolina · Greenville Spartanburg Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Short Bros SD 360-300 VARIANT300, built 1984
- Registration
- N688AN · registry record · serial SH3633
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was standing at the terminal while cargo was being loaded and the co-pilot was onboard preparing for flight. The captain, outside the airplane, directed the fuel truck driver to drive around to the right side of the airplane and prepare to fuel the airplane. The captain had intended to direct the truck after preparing the fuel service panel, but turned around to see the truck back over an orange marker cone and into the airplane's horizontal stabilizer. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator.
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
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) not oper) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › (general) › (general) › Damaged/degraded
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › (general) › (general) › Ground crew
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Ground crew
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,304 hours in all; 834 in this make and model; 149 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days; 479 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 2, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,517 hours in all; 661 in this make and model; 146 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 856 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 14, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 36,672 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 7, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 26,453 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65AR (turboprop); 25,285 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65AR (turboprop); 28,070 hours total
- Operator: Air Cargo Carriers
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 030° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from KGSP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 24, 2015. 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 | Photo 1 - Fuel Truck and Aircraft Horizontal (Courtesy of Operator) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo 2 - Horizontal Stabilizer (Photo Courtesy of Operator) | PDF, 1 page | 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.