# Accident 20230111001069A: Piper PA-32R-301, Dayton, VA, January 11, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 11, 2023, 18:09 local time
- Place: Dayton, VA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.5283° N, 79.1325° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5283&lon=-79.1325&mi=10
- Aircraft: N43156, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N43156-2023-09-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32R-301 (registry code 7103218, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-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-32R-301
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,772 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA23FA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA108) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230111001069A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 ERA23FA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA108), Jan 11, 2023: Piper PA-32R-301 (N43156), Dayton, VA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s controlled flight into terrain while descending over mountainous terrain at night.

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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