On September 21, 2007, about 1010 eastern daylight time, a North American Navion, N8844H, registered to and operated by a private individual, crashed into a restaurant located in Clayton, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight from Conway-Horry County Airport, Conway, South Carolina, to Culpeper Regional Airport, Culpeper, Virginia. The airplane was destroyed by impact and a postcrash fire, and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. There were no reported injuries to persons on the ground. The flight originated about 0916, from Conway-Horry County Airport.

According to preliminary air traffic control information, the pilot did not establish contact with any air traffic control facility. Witnesses who were located near the crash site reported low level clouds in the area, and two reported seeing the airplane emerge from clouds. The airplane was then observed banking to the right, and one witness reported that the right bank angle increased as the airplane approached nearby 40 foot-tall powerlines. The airplane descended while in a right bank, impacted a parking lot, then traveled into the restaurant where an explosion was then heard. Another witness reported first hearing a sputtering sound from the engine, then reported seeing the airplane abruptly bank to the right and crash first onto the parking lot, followed by the restaurant.

Preliminary examination of the accident site revealed no damage to 40 foot-tall powerlines that were located on the south side of the nearly eastbound lanes of Highway 70 East. Five nearly parallel ground scars in the asphalt of the restaurant parking lot were noted 133 feet 8 inches from the location of the powerlines. The airplane came to rest inverted inside the restaurant, and was located 271 feet 10 inches from the location of the powerlines. Preliminary examination of the wreckage revealed the engine separated from the airframe, and the propeller separated from the engine. The propeller hub was fractured, and the engine and 2 of the 3 propeller blades were located inside the restaurant. The remaining propeller blade was located in a residential area approximately 234 degrees and 280 feet from the location of the restaurant.