# Accident 20220222007139A: Piper PA-32-260, Fostoria, OH, February 22, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 22, 2022, 22:40 local time
- Place: Fostoria, OH
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.1414° N, 83.3772° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.1414&lon=-83.3772&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3952W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3952W-2023-12-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-260 (registry code 7103206, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-260) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-260
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN22FA131](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22FA131) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220222007139A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

N3952W DEPARTED EFFINGHAM AIRPORT INDIANA (1H2) TO FINDLAY AIRPORT (FDY). PILOT REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE RNAV RUNWAY 25 APPROACH AT FDY. AIRCRAFT WAS HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME MAINTAINING THE PROPER COURSE SO ATC THEN CLEARED THE PILOT FOR THE FULL RNAV RUNWAY 25 APPROACH. DURING THE APPROACH ATC RECIEVED A LOW ALTITUDE ALERT WHICH WAS RELAYED TO THE AIRCRAFT. NO COMMUNICATIONS WERE RECIEVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND APPROXIMATLY 15 MILES NORTH EAST OF FINDLAY AIRPORT.

AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO STRIKE THE GROUND AT A SHALLOW ANGLE DUE TO THE SCATTERING OF THE DEBRIS AWAY FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.

THE MAIN PARTS OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE LOCATED WITHIN THE DEBRIS AREA. ALL CONTROL SURFACES APPEARED TO BE INTACT THOUGH CONTINUITY COULD NOT BE ESTABLISHED DUE TO THE DAMAGE.

THE LEFT WING WING HAD SOME FLUID THAT LOOKED BLUE IN COLOR AND SMELLED LIKE AVGAS. THE OTHER TANKS THAT COULD BE IDENTIFIED HAD THE ODOR OF FUEL BUT DUE TO THE DAMAGE NO FUEL WAS PRESENT.

PROPELLER HAD DAMAGE CONSISTANT WITH IT ROTATING WITH DAMAGE ON BOTH BLADES.

ENGINE WAS SEPARATED FROM THE FUSCELAGE  AND APPEARED TO BE DAMAGED DUE TO THE IMPACT.

WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT TAKEN FROM THE FINDLAY AIRPORT AT 0353Z WINDS WERE 260 AT 25, 10 SM VISIBILTY, A BROKEN LAYER AT 1300, AN OVERCAST LAYER AT 2600. TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE 09/06 (CELCIUS) AND AN BAROMETRIC PRESSURE OF 29.89 INCHES OF MERCURY.

ONE WITNESS STATED THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE DESCENDING AT A HIGH RATE AND TURNING SLIGHTLY BUT HE LOST SIGHT OF IT AS IT WENT BELOW THE TREES. WITNESS DID NOT HEAR OR SEE THE AIRCRAFT IMPACT THE GROUND.

ANOTHER WITNESS CLOSER TO THE CRASH SITE SAID HE HEARD AN AIRCRAFT THAT WAS VERY LOUD AND SCREAMING LIKE IT WAS AT FULL POWER. THE SOUND STOPPED ABUPTLY SHORTLY AFTER HE BEGAN TO HEAR IT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN22FA131](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22FA131), Feb 23, 2022: Piper PA-32-260 (N3952W), Fostoria, OH, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of airplane control in night instrument meteorological conditions during the procedure turn of an instrument approach due to spatial disorientation, which resulted in a collision…

## Other reports on N3952W (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19780218007139I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780218007139I), Feb 18, 1978: Piper PA32260 (N3952W), Mount Comfort, IN, Minor damage. Pilot intended to fly locally after recent blizzard. Engine quit after takeoff due to snow packed in engine cowl.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.