# Accident 20260419009739A: Piper PA-28-235, Richfield, OH, April 19, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 19, 2026, 14:02 local time
- Place: Richfield, OH
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.2331° N, 81.6439° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Richfield, OH, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.2331&lon=-81.6439&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4232T, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4232T) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-235 (registry code 7102810, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-235) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-235
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,064 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260419009739A

## Narrative

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

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.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

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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