Piper PA-32R-300 N38188

Summary

On 13 July 1995 at about 19:20 local time, a Piper PA-32R-300 registered N38188, operated by Steven L. Coffey, was involved in an accident near Hilton Head Isl, South Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 July 1995 at 19:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Hilton Head Isl, South Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Hilton Head (49J)

Coordinates

32.1894, -80.7397

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R-300

Registration

N38188

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Steven L. Coffey

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Knoxville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA95FA183

2 people died.

loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the unsuitable terrain encountered during the emergency landing. A factor in the accident was the pilot's extension of the downwind leg which prevented landing on the intended runway following loss of engine power in the traffic pattern.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight departed Knoxville, TN, at 1220 edt with full fuel tanks. About 1 hour before the planned arrival at Hilton Head, SC, the pilot advised the FBO that the flight would be about 30 minutes late. The flight continued, and when near the airport, the pilot requested an airport advisory. He announced his intentions to enter a downwind leg and to make a long final approach to runway 3. Witnesses saw the airplane low on final approach, then observed that the airplane banked away from the airport, while descending. Subsequently, it collided with 80-foot tall trees, then a powerline, the ground, and a telephone pole. The airplane came to rest upright with the empennage separated aft of the wings. A postcrash fire destroyed the cockpit and cabin section. Examination of the flight controls revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. Examination of the engine revealed water contamination at the fuel manifold and servo fuel injector. Operators of other airplanes, fueled by the same source on the same day, had no indication of fuel contamination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.