# Accident 20030831021619A: Piper PA46310P, Hilton Head Is, SC, August 31, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 31, 2003, 15:29 local time
- Place: Hilton Head Is, SC
- Airport: Hilton Head Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.2353° N, 80.6875° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.2353&lon=-80.6875&mi=10
- Aircraft: N70DL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N70DL-2017-03-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-46-310P (registry code 7104605, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-310p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-520 series (registry code 17040, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA46310P
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 2,203 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL03FA133](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03FA133) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030831021619A

## Narrative

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

(-23) IT WAS REPORTED THAT ON TAKEOFF ROLL N70DL REPORTED, "N70DL RETURNING TO HILTON HEAD AIRPORT FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING ? COVER OFF". IT WAS ALSO REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOSING ALTITUDE ON DOWNWIND BUT GOING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED ESTIMATED AT 200 KNOTS. THE AIRCRAFT "POPPED BACK UP" AND TURNED VERY STEEP LEFT TURN TO BASE LEG. OBSERVERS COULD SEE BOTH WINGS (THREE QUARTERS OF THE RIGHT WING). WHEN AIRCRAFT TURNED TO FINAL STILL IN A STEEP LEFT TURN THE NOSE CAME UP TO ABOUT 20 DEGREES AND THE AIRCRAFT WENT BEHIND A TREE AND NEVER APPEARED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TREE. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF MILE FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 21 AT HILTON HEAD AIRPORT, 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 ATL03FA133](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03FA133), Aug 31, 2003: Piper PA-46-310P (N70DL), Hilton Head Is, SC, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during a VFR pattern for a precautionary landing, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and subsequent collision with terrain. Also causal…

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.

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