Pilot Debrief

WEATHERLY AVIATION CO INC 620 near Lynchburg, SC — 2026-09-17

Investigation ongoingERA26FA341
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Date
2026-09-17
Location
Lynchburg, SC, USA
Aircraft
WEATHERLY AVIATION CO INC 620
Registration
N20003
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1

Probable cause

NTSB has not published a probable cause for this accident yet. Preliminary reports describe what happened; the cause is determined later, often 12–24 months after the event.

NTSB narrative

On September 17, 2026, about 0720 eastern daylight time, a Weatherly Aviation Company Inc. 602B, N20003, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Lynchburg, South Carolina. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. According to a family member, the pilot departed a private airstrip in Woodrow, South Carolina and flew to a private airstrip in Oswego, South Carolina. The airplane was loaded with about 20 gallons of herbicide, which was to be applied on a nearby corn field. The flight was planned to take about 30 to 45 minutes. According to the landowner, he received a phone call from a family member of the pilot asking if the pilot had completed the job. The landowner subsequently saw smoke in the vicinity of the corn field and found the airplane inverted and on fire. The accident site was located about 10 miles east of the departure location. The airplane impacted the ground on magnetic heading of 134o, at an elevation of 154 ft mean sea level (msl). The debris field measured 300 ft by 180 ft with all major components of the airplane located within the debris field. The right wing was impact separated and located 96 ft from the initial ground impact with the right main landing gear assembly still attached. The leading edge of the right wing was crushed aft with engine oil on the wing surface. The fuselage, left wing, and empennage came to rest on a magnetic heading of 255o. The fuselage was partially consumed by a postaccident fire from the cockpit forward. The left wing was partially attached to the fuselage with thermal damage at the wing root and the leading edge crushed aft. The empennage remained attached to the fuselage with the left elevator crushed. The rudder was impact separated and was found near the engine about 20 ft from the fuselage. The rudder exhibited thermal damage to the lower rudder cap. The engine, engine mount, and firewall were separated and came to rest about 20 ft from the fuselage. Engine cylinder Nos. 3, 4, and 5 exhibited impact damage to the cylinder head assemblies. The No. 2-cylinder head was fractured. It did not display impact damage and was found within the debris field. The accessory section of the engine, the firewall, and engine mount exhibited thermal damage. The wreckage was retained for further examination.

Preliminary NTSB coding

  • Unknown or undetermined · Unknown
View NTSB preliminary report

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