What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
General aviation accident: 3 fatal
privacy data omitted - PA-32-301
August 11, 2022, aircraft departed from Washington, ind. (Dcy) at 1543 with a destination of myerstown, PA. (9D4).
En route radar data indicated the aircraft was in the cruise phase of flight at approximately 9500 ft. (MSL). ATC preliminary report indicated around 1752 the pilot attempted to deviate around heavy precipitation that extended across Ohio and west Virginia. Approximately 1803 radar track data indicated a steep descending right hand turn until radar was lost. Aircraft wreckage was located near Metz, WV.
Investigation of accident site revealed a large debris field. The aircraft fuselage was located in steep wooded terrain inverted with the engine and propeller attached. Signatures (damage to trees) noted at the accident site, indicated a vertical decent to the impact area. The left wing was approximately 50 yards to the west, the right was located approximately 300 yards south west from the fuselage. Inspection of the wing attach points (wing root) revealed signs of overstress. Other small pieces of the aircraft were scattered over a wide area with the empennage section being the farthest from the fuselage.
Inspectors from Piper aircraft and Lycoming engines conducted inspections of airframe and engine and no anomalies were noted.
A review of spas indicated the pilot held a private pilot certificate and did not hold an instrument rating. He held a basic medical. A review of the pilots log book revealed 387 total hours and 232 in make and model of accident aircraft.
Maintenance logs indicate annual/ 100 hour inspections were completed on August 11, 2022.
This accident investigation was conducted per. FAA order 8020.11D and FAA order 8900.1 volume 7, chapter 1, section 1.
As the FAA filed it
GENERAL AVIATION ACCIDENT: 3 FATAL
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ - PA-32-301
AUGUST 11, 2022, AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FROM WASHINGTON, IND. (DCY) AT 1543 WITH A DESTINATION OF MYERSTOWN, PA. (9D4).
EN ROUTE RADAR DATA INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN THE CRUISE PHASE OF FLIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 9500 FT. (MSL). ATC PRELIMINARY REPORT INDICATED AROUND 1752 THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO DEVIATE AROUND HEAVY PRECIPITATION THAT EXTENDED ACROSS OHIO AND WEST VIRGINIA. APPROXIMATELY 1803 RADAR TRACK DATA INDICATED A STEEP DESCENDING RIGHT HAND TURN UNTIL RADAR WAS LOST. AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED NEAR METZ, WV.
INVESTIGATION OF ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED A LARGE DEBRIS FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE WAS LOCATED IN STEEP WOODED TERRAIN INVERTED WITH THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER ATTACHED. SIGNATURES (DAMAGE TO TREES) NOTED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, INDICATED A VERTICAL DECENT TO THE IMPACT AREA. THE LEFT WING WAS APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS TO THE WEST, THE RIGHT WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 300 YARDS SOUTH WEST FROM THE FUSELAGE. INSPECTION OF THE WING ATTACH POINTS (WING ROOT) REVEALED SIGNS OF OVERSTRESS. OTHER SMALL PIECES OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE SCATTERED OVER A WIDE AREA WITH THE EMPENNAGE SECTION BEING THE FARTHEST FROM THE FUSELAGE.
INSPECTORS FROM PIPER AIRCRAFT AND LYCOMING ENGINES CONDUCTED INSPECTIONS OF AIRFRAME AND ENGINE AND NO ANOMALIES WERE NOTED.
A REVIEW OF SPAS INDICATED THE PILOT HELD A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE AND DID NOT HOLD AN INSTRUMENT RATING. HE HELD A BASIC MEDICAL. A REVIEW OF THE PILOTS LOG BOOK REVEALED 387 TOTAL HOURS AND 232 IN MAKE AND MODEL OF ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT.
MAINTENANCE LOGS INDICATE ANNUAL/ 100 HOUR INSPECTIONS WERE COMPLETED ON AUGUST 11, 2022.
THIS ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED PER. FAA ORDER 8020.11D AND FAA ORDER 8900.1 VOLUME 7, CHAPTER 1, SECTION 1.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.