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20260419009739A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-235 · Richfield, OH · April 19, 2026

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Date
April 19, 2026 · 14:02 local
Place
Richfield, OH
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N4232T
Reported as
Piper PA-28-235
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-540 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
1,064 total
N4232TRegistered now · Piper PA-28-235S/N 28-7210005 · Built 1971Airframe modelPiper PA-28-235Engine modelLycoming 0-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Pilot was flying aircraft, level 3500 feet with ATC flight following, through the southern portion of the class b cle airspace. Pilot was asked if he wanted deviation for area of precipitation at his 12 o clock position. He stated no. upon entering precipitation, engine began to run rough. Pilot turned on carburetor heat and fuel pump. Engine continued to run rough. Pilot declared emergency. ATC suggested to the pilot a vector of 200 to nearest airport (1G5). Pilot turned towards airport, continuously getting lower in altitude. ATC asked if they would make it. Pilot stated that they were not going to make it. ATC pointed out a highway and pilot stated thet will not make it. Pilot stated in his report to the FAA that he couldnt see the road, that there were trees everywhere. He stated all of the sudden a field appeared on the left. Engine was still running. He turned to the field. He saw a fence. He knew he impacted it. He steered aircraft to the right a little as the plane came to a stop. Engine was still running. Pilot tried to contact cle TRACON from the ground. He shut the engine down and deplaned.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS FLYING AIRCRAFT, LEVEL 3500 FEET WITH ATC FLIGHT FOLLOWING, THROUGH THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE CLASS B CLE AIRSPACE. PILOT WAS ASKED IF HE WANTED DEVIATION FOR AREA OF PRECIPITATION AT HIS 12 O CLOCK POSITION. HE STATED NO. UPON ENTERING PRECIPITATION, ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. PILOT TURNED ON CARBURETOR HEAT AND FUEL PUMP. ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN ROUGH. PILOT DECLARED EMERGENCY. ATC SUGGESTED TO THE PILOT A VECTOR OF 200 TO NEAREST AIRPORT (1G5). PILOT TURNED TOWARDS AIRPORT, CONTINUOUSLY GETTING LOWER IN ALTITUDE. ATC ASKED IF THEY WOULD MAKE IT. PILOT STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT. ATC POINTED OUT A HIGHWAY AND PILOT STATED THET WILL NOT MAKE IT. PILOT STATED IN HIS REPORT TO THE FAA THAT HE COULDNT SEE THE ROAD, THAT THERE WERE TREES EVERYWHERE. HE STATED ALL OF THE SUDDEN A FIELD APPEARED ON THE LEFT. ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. HE TURNED TO THE FIELD. HE SAW A FENCE. HE KNEW HE IMPACTED IT. HE STEERED AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT A LITTLE AS THE PLANE CAME TO A STOP. ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. PILOT TRIED TO CONTACT CLE TRACON FROM THE GROUND. HE SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN AND DEPLANED.