# Accident 19980220001589A: Piper PA28140, Graniteville, SC, February 20, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 20, 1998, 11:15 local time
- Place: Graniteville, SC
- Airport: Twin Lakes Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.4910° N, 81.7595° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4910&lon=-81.7595&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3965K, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3965K-2000-04-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-140 (registry code 7102802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28140
- Reported engine: LYC O320E2A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 122 total, 82 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA98LA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA082) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980220001589A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4) ON FEBRUARY 20, 1998, ABOUT 1115 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-28-140, N3965K, REGISTERED TO AN INDIVIDUAL, OPERATING AS A 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF FROM TWIN LAKES AIRPORT, GRANITEVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED ABOUT 4 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS RETURNING THE AIRPLANE TO HIS HOME FIELD AT AIKEN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, SOUTH CAROLINA, HAVING HAD MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE GASCOLATOR, PRIMER,AND FUEL SELECTOR BY AN A&P MECHANIC. CLIMBING THROUGH 400 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND LOSE POWER. THE PILOT FELT HIS ONLY OPTION WAS A FORCED LANDING TO A GRASS FIELD. HIS FINAL APPROACH CARRIED HIM FURTHER THAN HIS INTENDED TOUCHDOWN POINT, AND HE COLLIDED WITH AN EARTH EMBANKMENT AND FENCE POSTS, SHEARING THE LANDING GEAR, BENDING THE PROPELLER, BOTH WING SPARS, AND THE ENGINE MOUNT. SUBSEQUENT TEARDOWN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE BY FAA PERSONNEL REVEALED A BROKEN EXHAUST VALVE IN THE NUMBER     THREE CYLINDER. ACCORDING TO THE FAA REPORT, ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF THE VALVE FACE WAS MISSING. THE ENGINE HAD UNDERGONE AN ANNUAL INSPECTION ON JUNE 6, 1997, AND TIME SINCE OVERHAUL ON THE ENGINE WAS REPORTED AS 1920.1 HOURS BY THE PILOT. (-23) ON FEBRUARY 20, 1998, ABOUT 1115 EST A PIPER PA-28-140, N3965K MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A GRASS FIELD. THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING TAKE OFF FROM TWIN LAKES AIRPORT NEAR AIKEN, SC.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA98LA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA082), Feb 20, 1998: Piper PA-28-140 (N3965K), Graniteville, SC, substantial damage. Probable cause: 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)…

## Other reports on N3965K (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19780629015919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780629015919A), Jun 29, 1978: Piper PA28140 (N3965K), Plainview, TX, Substantial damage. Collided with runway construction barrier.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.