What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 8, 2017 at approximately 1835 eastern daylight time, (EDT) (2235Z) N2389A, a Piper tri pacer pa 22-135, crashed in a field west of runway 36 at Greensburg municipal airport (I34), Greensburg Indiana. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The pilot received minor injuries and both passengers were uninjured. There were no injuries on the ground. The aircraft is registered to and operated by privacy data omitted under 14 CFR part 91. Visual daylight conditions prevailed and no flight plan was on file. The flight departed upper cumberland regional airport in sparta, Tennessee enroute to I34 for refueling.
The pilot stated that he was slowing the aircraft for a straight in approach to runway 36 at Greensburg (I34) when the aircraft began to roll to the left. The pilot applied full right aileron and right rudder with no response. He applied power to increase airspeed and the aircraft began to roll wings level. The pilot accomplished a 360 degree turn to the left and realigned with the runway 36. The pilot stated he knew he was having control problems and needed to get the aircraft on the ground. He started to slow the aircraft and it began to roll to the left again, drifting left of the centerline of the runway. The aircraft impacted the ground in a field approximately 300 feet west of the centerline of the runway.
The pilot indicated that he stopped for fuel previously at lagrange, ga and sparta, TN with no flight control problems.
The aileron-rudder interconnect system apearted to be intact during inspection. Aircraft damage precluded further inspection of the flight control system.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 8, 2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 1835 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, (EDT) (2235Z) N2389A, A PIPER TRI PACER PA 22-135, CRASHED IN A FIELD WEST OF RUNWAY 36 AT GREENSBURG MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (I34), GREENSBURG INDIANA. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND BOTH PASSENGERS WERE UNINJURED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES ON THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT IS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED UPPER CUMBERLAND REGIONAL AIRPORT IN SPARTA, TENNESSEE ENROUTE TO I34 FOR REFUELING.
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS SLOWING THE AIRCRAFT FOR A STRAIGHT IN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 36 AT GREENSBURG (I34) WHEN THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO ROLL TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL RIGHT AILERON AND RIGHT RUDDER WITH NO RESPONSE. HE APPLIED POWER TO INCREASE AIRSPEED AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO ROLL WINGS LEVEL. THE PILOT ACCOMPLISHED A 360 DEGREE TURN TO THE LEFT AND REALIGNED WITH THE RUNWAY 36. THE PILOT STATED HE KNEW HE WAS HAVING CONTROL PROBLEMS AND NEEDED TO GET THE AIRCRAFT ON THE GROUND. HE STARTED TO SLOW THE AIRCRAFT AND IT BEGAN TO ROLL TO THE LEFT AGAIN, DRIFTING LEFT OF THE CENTERLINE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET WEST OF THE CENTERLINE OF THE RUNWAY.
THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE STOPPED FOR FUEL PREVIOUSLY AT LAGRANGE, GA AND SPARTA, TN WITH NO FLIGHT CONTROL PROBLEMS.
THE AILERON-RUDDER INTERCONNECT SYSTEM APEARTED TO BE INTACT DURING INSPECTION. AIRCRAFT DAMAGE PRECLUDED FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM.