# Accident 20220811014439A: Piper PA-32-301, Metz, WV, August 11, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 11, 2022, 20:11 local time
- Place: Metz, WV
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.6241° N, 80.3850° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6241&lon=-80.3850&mi=10
- Aircraft: N720RP, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N720RP-2023-06-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-301 (registry code 7103207, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-301) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-301
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 387 total, 232 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA22FA368](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22FA368) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220811014439A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 ERA22FA368](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22FA368), Aug 11, 2022: Piper PA32 (N720RP), Metz, WV, substantial damage, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The non-instrument-rated pilot’s intentional visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions based on latent weather information, which resulted in the airplane entering extreme…

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.

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