What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On September 26, 2007 at 1033 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32-301T lance, N8341G was totally destroyed after impacting terrain several miles west of Defiance, Ohio. The aircraft was operating on an instrument flight plan under 14 CFR part 91. Scattered, broken, and overcast meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. Very light rain (witnesses referred to as a sprinkling) had just commenced; however, no convective storm activity was present in the immediate area at the time of the accident. Loss of control, due to aircraft in-flight breakup (left one-third to one-half wing separated from aircraft), is a primary factor in this accident. Eye witnesses reported seeing the aircraft spiral toward the ground in a manner consistent with an aircraft missing a significant part of its wing. The lone occupant, the pilot in command, was the only fatality.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2007 AT 1033 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-32-301T LANCE, N8341G WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED AFTER IMPACTING TERRAIN SEVERAL MILES WEST OF DEFIANCE, OHIO. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. SCATTERED, BROKEN, AND OVERCAST METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. VERY LIGHT RAIN (WITNESSES REFERRED TO AS A SPRINKLING) HAD JUST COMMENCED; HOWEVER, NO CONVECTIVE STORM ACTIVITY WAS PRESENT IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. LOSS OF CONTROL, DUE TO AIRCRAFT IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP (LEFT ONE-THIRD TO ONE-HALF WING SEPARATED FROM AIRCRAFT), IS A PRIMARY FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT. EYE WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE AIRCRAFT SPIRAL TOWARD THE GROUND IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH AN AIRCRAFT MISSING A SIGNIFICANT PART OF ITS WING. THE LONE OCCUPANT, THE PILOT IN COMMAND, WAS THE ONLY FATALITY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.