Piper PA-16 accident near Hardeeville, South Carolina, April 12, 1999
On April 12, 1999 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-16, registered N5796H, was destroyed in an accident near Hardeeville, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inflight loss of control for undetermined reasons while in a descent and the subsequent collision with the terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 12, 1999 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Hardeeville, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-16 · all PA-16s on the register
- Registration
- N5796H · no longer on the register · serial 16-413
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot transmitted that he was encountering 'pretty bad' clear air turbulence at his assigned altitude and requested a lower altitude from the military approach radar controller. The controller gave the pilot a turn because of conflicting traffic, and while in the turn the pilot transmitted that turbulence was now 'severe'. He made another garbled transmission that sounded as if he was saying, 'headed down' or 'going down'. He disappeared from the radar scope and the wreckage was found later, having impacted the ground on a tree preserve about 13 miles northeast of the Savannah VOR. No evidence of any precrash failure or malfunction could be found with the airplane's engine or airframe, or their components.
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: 1,675 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,278 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 1998; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SSI St. Simon Isl GA at 5:10 pm
- Destination: 8A6 Wilgrove NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 13 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from SAV, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.