# Accident 20230325004579A: Piper PA-28-161, Johns Island, SC, March 25, 2023 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 25, 2023, 12:50 local time - Place: Johns Island, SC - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 32.6693° N, 80.0104° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6693&lon=-80.0104&mi=10 - Aircraft: N21480, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N21480-2023-10-21) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-161 - Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 740 total - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA23FA164](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA164) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230325004579A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON MARCH 25, 2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 1252 HOURS (LOCAL), A PIPER PA-28 OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN NEAR JOHN’S ISLAND, SC. THE PRIVATE PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. A REVIEW OF RADAR DATA INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FROM CONWAY-HORRY COUNTY AIRPORT (HYW) AT APPROXIMATELY 1210 HOURS (LOCAL) AND WAS ENROUTE TO PALATKA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (28J). A WITNESS AT HYW SPOKE TO THE AIRMAN AND SAID THE AIRMAN SEEMED TIRED AND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE WEATHER. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED HYW AND CLIMBED TO 1600 FEET MSL AND CONTACTED ATC FOR FLIGHT FOLLOWING. AT 1243 HOURS (LOCAL) THE CHS CONTROLLER ASKED THE PILOT IF HE WANTED TO REMAIN AT 1600 FEET MSL OR CLIMB TO A HIGHER ALTITUDE. THE AIRMAN STATED HE WANTED TO STAY LOW TO MAINTAIN VFR. THE CONTROLLER ACKNOWLEDGED AND INSTRUCTED THE AIRMAN TO MAINTAIN VFR, ALTITUDE YOUR DISCRETION. AT 1251 HOURS (LOCAL), THE CONTROLLER NOTICED THE AIRCRAFT MANEUVERING AND ASKED THE AIRMAN IF HE WAS MANEUVERING TO AVOID CLOUDS. THERE WAS A BRIEF PAUSE AND THE AIRMAN REPLIED “MAYDAY, MAYDAY, IN THE CLOUDS..GOING DOWN”. NO OTHER COMMUNICATIONS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE AIRMAN. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A MARSH AREA OFF ABBAPOOLA CREEK, APPROXIMATELY 1.6 MILES SOUTH OF CHARLESTON EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (JZI). ACCESS TO ACCIDENT SITE WAS PROVIDED BY THE CHARLESTON COUNTY SHERRIFF’S DEPARTMENT AIR BOAT. THE WRECKAGE WAS CONTAINED TO AN AREA APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET BY 50 FEET. FUEL ODOR WAS PRESENT ALONG WITH A SHEEN ON THE WATER. ONE WITNESS WHO HAD HIS HEAD DOWN, LOADING A BOAT, HEARD THE AIRCRAFTS ENGINE WHINING BEFORE IT IMPACTED THE MARSH AND LOOKED UP RIGHT AFTER IT IMPACTED THE MARCH AND SAW MUD AND DEBRIS FLY INTO THE AIR. ANOTHER WITNESS WHO WAS LOCATED AT THE END OF LEGAREVILLE ROAD STATED HE HEARD THE AIRCRAFT AND LOOKED UP TO SEE IT GO STRAIGHT DOWN INTO THE MARSH. THE WEATHER REPORTED AT JZI AT 1255 HOURS (LOCAL) WAS WINDS VARIABLE FROM 180 TO 240 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 18 KNOTS, VISIBILITY 10 MILES WITH A OVERCAST CEILING AT 1300 FEET. TEMPERATURE WAS 22 DEGREES CELSIUS, DEWPOINT 18 DEGREES CELSIUS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED ON MARCH 30, 2023 AND TRANSPORTED TO A SALVAGE YARD TO BE INSPECTED AND ENGINE TEAR DOWN ANALYSIS PERFORMED. AIR WORTHINESS INSPECTORS FROM THE ATL FSDO OBSERVED THE INSPECTIONS. THE AIRMAN WAS A PRIVATE PILOT SINGLE ENGINE LAND RATED WITH A TOTAL OF 740 HOURS REPORTED ON HIS LAST MEDICAL EXAMINATION. AIRMAN’S THIRD CLASS MEDICAL WAS ISSUED ON MARCH 3, 2022. THE NTSB INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING. ## 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 ERA23FA164](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA164), Mar 25, 2023: Piper PA-28-161 (N21480), Johns Island, SC, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to continue flight under visual flight rules into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the pilot’s spatial disorientation and loss of control. Contributing to… ## Other reports on N21480 (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19800528015579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800528015579A), May 28, 1980: Piper PA28161 (N21480), Hampden, MA, Substantial damage. Fairway blocked for intended landing area. Landed downwind on wet grass on other fairway. Slid into trees. 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.