- Date
- September 1, 1985, 17:40 local (21:40 UTC)
- Place
- Rion, SC
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9340WPiper PA-28-235-B
- Weather
- Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850901042139A
- Case key
- 6637
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The acft had been cruising at 10,500 ft for several min and then informed ATC that they were climbing to 12,500 ft due to VFR. Shortly there after the acft disappeared from the radar scope. Witnesses heard the engine making an unusual sound and looked up and saw the acft falling from the sky and parts falling from it. One witness claimed to have seen the acft come out of a cloud. A squall line and heavy rain were reported in the area a short time later by people in the local area.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9340W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-235-B (PA-28-235-)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2811026
- Airframe hours
- 1,892
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-B4B5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Dal Mar Avn.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 9, 1984 · 125 hours before
- Departed
- 6J7 · Darlington, SC
- Destination
- MSL · Muscle Shoals, AL
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 30
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 125 total · 125 in this make and model · 85 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Day
- Wind
- 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CAE, 16 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.