Piper PA-28-151 accident near Columbia, South Carolina, December 26, 1997
On December 26, 1997 at about 4:38 am local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N9514K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbia, South Carolina (Columbia Metropolitan airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning, and his poor in-flight decision making.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 1997 · about 4:38 am local time
- Place
- Columbia, South Carolina · Columbia Metropolitan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N9514K · no longer on the register · serial 28-7615208
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight departed and was uneventful until about 20 miles from the destination airport when the engine lost power. The engine was restarted and the pilot was advised of two alternate landing airports, but the pilot continued toward the planned destination. The engine quit several more times, once while directly overhead an airport. Unable to land at the destination airport, while descending for a forced landing, the airplane collided with a tree. About 3/4 to 1 cup and 1 cup of fuel were drained from the left and right fuel tanks respectively. The airplane was over gross at takeoff, but within weight and balance at the time of the accident. An open circuit of the left fuel tank transmitter was noted, but no determination was made as to the reason. The estimated time en route per the flight plan was 2 hours 5 minutes, but calculated post accident to be 3 hours 48 minutes. The actual time takeoff-to-landing was 3 hours 34 minutes. Based on the postaccident calculations, the total fuel consumption for the flight was about 37 gallons, with the flight departing with an estimated 38 gallons.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 422 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 30 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,143 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 1997; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CPK Chesapeake VA at 1:04 am
- Destination: CAE
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 am from CAE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.