# Accident 20220914015539A: Piper PA-32-300, Afton, VA, September 14, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 14, 2022, 23:00 local time
- Place: Afton, VA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.9851° N, 78.7168° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.9851&lon=-78.7168&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2104J, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2104J-2024-05-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-300 (registry code 7103212, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-300
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TI0-540
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA22FA418](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22FA418) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220914015539A

## Narrative

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

ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2022, ABOUT 2300 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-32-300, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS DESTROYED BY POST IMPACT FIRE WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR AFTON, VIRGINIA. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT.  THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ON A VFR FLIGHT FROM KMTV (MARTINSBURG AIRPORT, VIRGINIA) AND WAS DESTINED FOR S37 (SMOKETOWN AIRPORT, PENNSYLVANIA).  THE AIRPLANE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 7,500 FT MEAN SEA LEVEL WHEN THE PILOT REPORTED A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE TO ATC, FOLLOWED BY A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO GLIDE THE AIRPLANE TO KCHO (CHARLOTTESVILLE-ALBERMARLE, VIRGINIA), BUT THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED WOODED TERRAIN ABOUT 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CHARLOTTESVILLE.

## 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 ERA22FA418](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22FA418), Sep 15, 2022: Piper PA32 (N2104J), Afton, VA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: A catastrophic engine failure due to oil starvation, which resulted in a total loss of engine power at night over mountainous terrain.

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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