What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 11, 2023, at approximately 1740 local time, aircraft privacy data omitted a PA-32R, took off from winchester regional airport (okv) for shelby county airport (eet). At approximately 1809 local time on January 11, 2023 the aircraft was last seen on flight aware near bridgewater Virginia. The aircraft wreckage was located on a light snow covered 4000 foot mountain top near Dayton Virginia on the morning of January 12, 2023. The private pilot who was the sole occupant of the aircraft sustained fatal injuries. At that time the FAA was notified.
An inspection of the aircraft wreckage on January 12, 2023 and January 13, 2023 revealed a large debris field on a 4000 foot mountain top scattered from north to south at a heading of approximately 194 degrees. The initial impact was on the north slope with the main wreckage and larger debris field located on the steeper south slope.
A review of the pilot’s logbook indicated that he had approximately 1772 flight hours.
The annual inspections on the airframe, engine, and propeller were current as of June 28, 2022. The maintenance logbook entries for the altimeter and transponder checks were not recovered.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 11, 2023, AT APPROXIMATELY 1740 LOCAL TIME, AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ A PA-32R, TOOK OFF FROM WINCHESTER REGIONAL AIRPORT (OKV) FOR SHELBY COUNTY AIRPORT (EET). AT APPROXIMATELY 1809 LOCAL TIME ON JANUARY 11, 2023 THE AIRCRAFT WAS LAST SEEN ON FLIGHT AWARE NEAR BRIDGEWATER VIRGINIA. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED ON A LIGHT SNOW COVERED 4000 FOOT MOUNTAIN TOP NEAR DAYTON VIRGINIA ON THE MORNING OF JANUARY 12, 2023. THE PRIVATE PILOT WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. AT THAT TIME THE FAA WAS NOTIFIED.
AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE ON JANUARY 12, 2023 AND JANUARY 13, 2023 REVEALED A LARGE DEBRIS FIELD ON A 4000 FOOT MOUNTAIN TOP SCATTERED FROM NORTH TO SOUTH AT A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 194 DEGREES. THE INITIAL IMPACT WAS ON THE NORTH SLOPE WITH THE MAIN WRECKAGE AND LARGER DEBRIS FIELD LOCATED ON THE STEEPER SOUTH SLOPE.
A REVIEW OF THE PILOT’S LOGBOOK INDICATED THAT HE HAD APPROXIMATELY 1772 FLIGHT HOURS.
THE ANNUAL INSPECTIONS ON THE AIRFRAME, ENGINE, AND PROPELLER WERE CURRENT AS OF JUNE 28, 2022. THE MAINTENANCE LOGBOOK ENTRIES FOR THE ALTIMETER AND TRANSPONDER CHECKS WERE NOT RECOVERED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.