Piper PA-28-140 accident near Graniteville, South Carolina, February 20, 1998
On February 20, 1998 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N3965K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Graniteville, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
failure of the number three exhaust valve, which resulted in loss of engine power and a forced landing. Related factors were: the obstructions (earthen embankment and fence) in the emergency (forced) landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 1998 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Graniteville, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N3965K · no longer on the register · serial 28-23848
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot took off on a flight to return the aircraft to his home field after having had maintenance performed on the fuel system. During the initial climb after takeoff, a loss of engine power occurred. Emergency procedure for loss of power was accomplished with negative results, and a turn to the nearest field was begun. During the forced landing, the aircraft overflew the pilot's intended point of touchdown and collided with an earthen embankment and a barbed-wire fence. Subsequent teardown examination of the engine by FAA personnel revealed a broken exhaust valve in the number three cylinder. According to an FAA report, about 30 percent of the valve face was missing. The previous annual inspection was completed on 6/6/97; flight time since overhaul of the engine was reported as 1920.1 hours.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 122 hours in all; 82 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 69 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,216 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 1997; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SC42 SC at 4:11 pm
- Destination: AIK Aiken SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from AGS, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.