# Accident 20220416013879A: Piper PA-32-260, Grantsville, MD, April 16, 2022 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 16, 2022, 19:50 local time - Place: Grantsville, MD - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 39.7066° N, 79.0809° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7066&lon=-79.0809&mi=10 - Aircraft: N3618W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3618W-2022-09-30) (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: 3 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 3 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot - Pilot flight hours: 955 total, 48 in this make and model, 29 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA22LA191](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA191) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220416013879A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. AIRCRAFT WAS CRUISING AT 9000 MSL. IT BEGAN PITCHING UP WHEN ON AUTOPILOT ALTITUDE HOLD AND THE PILOT, OBSERVING THAT THE ENGINE RPM HAD NOT CHANGED, CONCLUDED IT WAS A FLIGHT CONTROL ISSUE CAUSED BY AIRFRAME ICING AND THAT THE REDUCED INDICATED AIRSPEED WAS CAUSED BY PITOT ICING. HE DID NOT APPLY CARB HEAT, BUT TURNED ON THE PITOT HEAT. HE DESCENDED THROUGH THE CLOUD LAYER BELOW, STILL BELIEVING THAT HIS INABILITY TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE WAS THE RESULT OF ICING. WHEN HE BROKE OUT OF THE OVERCAST AT APPROXIMATELY 500 AGL HE WAS FORTUNATE TO BE OVER AND PARALLEL TO A SINGLE LANE DIRT ROAD CUT THROUGH THE WOODS BELOW HIM AND WAS ABLE TO TOUCH DOWN WITH THE AIRCRAFT DESTROYED, BUT WITH NO MAJOR INJURIES ON BOARD. HE WAS NEAR ENOUGH TO A RESIDENCE THAT HELP WAS IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A DIGITAL ENGINE GAUGE SYSTEM WHICH RECORDED DATA. EXAMINATION OF THE DATA SHOWED THAT THE ENGINE RPM REMAINED CONSTANT BUT THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE DECREASED. WHEN THE ENGINE WAS EXAMINED IT WAS FOUND TO BE OPERABLE. THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE OF THE CRASH WAS CARB ICING. ## 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 ERA22LA191](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA191), Apr 16, 2022: Piper PA-32-260 (N3618W), Grantsville, MD, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to continue the flight into an area of moderate to heavy icing conditions, which resulted in a degradation of airplane performance and subsequent loss of control. ## Other reports on N3618W (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20190106000119I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190106000119I), Jan 6, 2019: Piper PA-32-260 (N3618W), Fallston, MD, Minor damage. The pilot reported on final approach there was a crosswind at at approximately 15 mph with moderate turbulence. He increase approach speed to about 7 mph above… 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.