Piper PA 28 accident near Rowesville, South Carolina, June 9, 2016
On June 9, 2016 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1963 Piper PA 28, registered N7355W, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Rowesville, South Carolina. It was a personal 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 fuel line failure between the fuel transducer and the carburetor, which resulted in a total loss of engine power and subsequent forced off airport landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 2016 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rowesville, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28 180, built 1963 · all PA 28s on the register
- Registration
- N7355W · no longer on the register · serial 28-1235
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that about 20 minutes after takeoff the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot further reported that during the off airport forced landing the right aileron was substantially damaged. A post-accident examination revealed that the fuel line between the fuel transducer and the carburetor had failed. The manufacture and part number for the failed line was Strato Flex, P/N 111-6, respectively. The fuel line was installed as part of the J. P. Instruments EDM-700 engine monitoring system per the supplemental type certificate SA2586NM on May 01, 2002.
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
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel distribution › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 63.5 hours in all; 8.8 in this make and model; 9.2 in the last 90 days; 63.5 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 15, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 18, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ARW Beaufort SC at 6:10 pm
- Destination: CUB Columbia SC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KOGB, 8 miles away
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 August 29, 2016. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Statement from Mechanic | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photos (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N7355W the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.