# Fatal NTSB investigations, SC: Loss of control in flight

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB WPR26FA160](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26FA160.md): Mooney M20J · Union, SC · Accident · 4 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report · Apr 17, 2026 · N1151H · Substantial damage
  > On April 17, 2026, about 1750 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20J, N1151H, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Union, South Carolina. The pilot and 3 passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal…
- [NTSB ERA23FA164](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA164.md): Piper PA-28-161 · Johns Island, SC · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Mar 25, 2023 · N21480 · Substantial damage
  > 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 the accident was the pilot’s degraded judgement and…
- [NTSB ERA21FA224](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21FA224.md): Piper PA-31P · Myrtle Beach, SC · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · May 21, 2021 · N575BC · Destroyed
  > The mechanic’s inadvertent installation of the elevator trim tabs in reverse, which resulted in the pitch trim system operating opposite of the pilot’s input and the pilot’s subsequent loss of control.
- [NTSB ERA21LA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA101.md): Beech F33 · Columbia, SC · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jan 13, 2021 · N266DC · Destroyed
  > The pilot's in-flight loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation during a missed approach in instrument meteorological conditions.
- [NTSB ERA18LA249](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18LA249.md): Edward R. Sugg Sonex · Marion, SC · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 12, 2018 · N75SX · Destroyed
  > Impact with terrain for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
- [NTSB ERA18LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18LA095.md): Robert Snyder Autogyro Calidus · Beaufort, SC · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 5, 2018 · N221YT · Substantial damage
  > The gyroplane pilot's failure to maintain rotor speed and aircraft control as he was attempting to return to the runway during a low-altitude simulated engine-out maneuver.
- [NTSB ERA18FA004](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18FA004.md): Cessna 401 · Salters, SC · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 4, 2017 · N401HH · Destroyed
  > The pilot's decision to attempt a low-altitude aerobatic maneuver in a non-aerobatic airplane, and his subsequent failure to maintain control of the airplane during the maneuver. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impairment by the effects of…
- [NTSB ERA16FA168](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16FA168.md): Ryskamp Bruce A Acroduster · Belton, SC · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Apr 24, 2016 · N380JA · Destroyed
  > A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined due to extensive postcrash fire damage. Also causal was the pilot's loss of airplane control, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent impact with terrain.
- [NTSB ERA16FA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16FA001.md): Piper PA32R · Westminster, SC · Accident · 4 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 2, 2015 · N782TM · Destroyed
  > The pilot's loss of airplane control for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
- [NTSB ERA15LA219](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15LA219.md): Rainbow Aerotrike · Chesnee, SC · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 9, 2015 · UNREG · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain lateral or bank control during takeoff, which resulted in collision with, and subsequent suspension from, a tree. Contributing to the pilot’s fatal injuries was his attempt to jump out of the trike to a nearby tree limb.
- [NTSB ERA14FA387](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14FA387.md): Cessna 150 · Mount Pleasant, SC · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 14, 2014 · N66241 · Substantial damage
  > The commercial pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack during the initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain. Contributing to the commercial pilot’s failure to recognize and remediate the stall were his…
- [NTSB ERA14FA289](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14FA289.md): Meyer Clair O 2/3 P 51B/C Mustang · Marion, SC · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 13, 2014 · N51BM · Substantial damage
  > The airplane's impact with terrain shortly after takeoff due to a physiological incapacitation of the pilot.
- [NTSB ERA14FA144](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14FA144.md): Rogers George T Lancair IVP · Hartsville, SC · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 8, 2014 · N724HP · Substantial damage
  > Failure of the flying pilot to maintain control of the airplane while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident were the…
- [NTSB ERA14FA049](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14FA049.md): Piper PA-23-160 · Graniteville, SC · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 25, 2013 · N4016P · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper maintenance of the airplane's fuel system, which resulted a loss of power in the left engine due to fuel starvation. Also causal was the pilot's failure to maintain minimum controllable airspeed following the loss of engine power, which…
- [NTSB ERA13FA348](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13FA348.md): Beech D55 · Conway, SC · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 3, 2013 · N7641N · Destroyed
  > The pilot's loss of airplane control, which resulted from his failure to follow the loss of single engine power checklist procedures after a total loss of right engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper…
- [NTSB ERA13FA340](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13FA340.md): Folland Gnat T 1 · Georgetown, SC · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 29, 2013 · N18GT · Destroyed
  > The loss of airplane control for reasons that could not be determined due to postcrash fire damage. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to perform an aerobatic maneuver at low altitude, which did not allow sufficient time for him to regain…
- [NTSB ERA12FA051](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12FA051.md): Cessna 150F · Moncks Corner, SC · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 13, 2011 · N3086X · Substantial damage
  > The debilitating effects of ethylene glycol poisoning, which resulted in the pilot’s inability to maintain control of the airplane.
- [NTSB ERA11FA210](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11FA210.md): Piper PA-20 · Elgin, SC · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 25, 2011 · N7746K · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion resulting from the pilot’s inadequate preflight planning. Contributing to the accident was that the pilot did not maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
- [NTSB ERA11LA208](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA208.md): Jennings John C Mini Max · Clinton, SC · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 19, 2011 · UNREG · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate performance planning, which resulted in a collision with a tree during takeoff.
- [NTSB ERA11FA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11FA118.md): Cessna 172S · North Myrtle Beach, SC · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 18, 2011 · N2100V · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's loss of airplane control during a missed approach due to spatial disorientation.
- [NTSB ERA11FA038](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11FA038.md): Cessna 210A · Aiken, SC · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 28, 2010 · N6655X · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate weather planning and improper decision to continue a visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control due to spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s…
- [NTSB ERA10LA365](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA365.md): Texas Air Ventures Comp AIR 8 · Mount Pleasant, SC · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 19, 2010 · N882X · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to retrim the airplane and maintain aircraft control during an aborted landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in the accident airplane make and model.
- [NTSB ERA10FA359](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10FA359.md): Piper PA-28RT-201 · North Myrtle Beach, SC · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 15, 2010 · N2825A · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering in instrument meteorological conditions around a thunderstorm. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent actual instrument experience.
- [NTSB ERA10LA199](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA199.md): Ratcliffe John A Kolb MARK3X · Charleston, SC · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 1, 2010 · N3181L · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in the make and model airplane.
- [NTSB ERA09FA537](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09FA537.md): Eurocopter AS-350 · Georgetown, SC · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 26, 2009 · N417AE · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s decision to continue the visual flight rules flight into an area of instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the pilot’s spatial disorientation and a loss of control of the helicopter. Contributing to the accident was the inadequate…
- [NTSB ERA09LA527](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA527.md): Cessna 172 · Lowndesville, SC · Accident · 2 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 19, 2009 · N5845A · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and improper decision to continue flight into deteriorating weather conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation after entering instrument flight conditions.
- [NTSB ERA09FA515](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09FA515.md): Cirrus SR-22 · Rock Hill, SC · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 11, 2009 · N922XX · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control and altitude while maneuvering after takeoff.
- [NTSB ERA09LA501](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA501.md): Keithley Thomas E Starduster Too · St. Matthews, SC · Accident · 2 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 7, 2009 · N26TK · Substantial damage
  > A loss of airplane control during approach for undetermined reasons.
- [NTSB ERA09LA019](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA019.md): Hargett Sky Ranger II · Rock Hill, SC · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 16, 2008 · N75684 · Substantial damage
  > The non-certificated pilot's failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and a subsequent impact with the ground. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's lack of training and his impairment due to recent use of marijuana.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."eventStateOrRegion" = 'SC' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA'
  AND c."highestInjuryLevel" = 'Fatal'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s."tier2Number" = '240' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent"))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence?fatal=1&state=SC

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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.