# NTSB BFO93FA050: Piper PA-32-300, N28196, Ligonier, PA, January 15, 1993

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: January 15, 1993, 08:33 local (13:33 UTC)
- Place: Ligonier, PA
- Coordinates: 40.240848, -79.230987 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.2408&lon=-79.2310&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed, report December 3, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 11871
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO93FA050
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/11871/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO93FA050

## Probable cause

VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE FROM THE WOODED TERRAIN.  THE TERRAIN AND ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE RELATED FACTORS.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise
  - terrain condition - high terrain (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - obscuration (contributing factor)
  - vfr flight into imc - continued, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with object, cruise
  - object - tree(s)
  - altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

ON JANUARY 15, 1993, THE PILOT REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING FROM FSS PERSONNEL FOR A FLIGHT FROM SMOKETOWN, PA, TO LATROBE, PA.  THE PILOT WAS ISSUED FLIGHT PRECAUTIONS AND FORECASTS FOR IFR CONDITIONS.  VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED.  A RADAR TARGET WAS OBSERVED DEPARTING SMOKETOWN AT 0727 EST AND WAS TRACKED TOWARDS LATROBE.  THE AIRPLANE WAS REPORTED MISSING LATER THE SAME MORNING AND A SEARCH WAS INITIATED.  THE AIRPLANE WRECKAGE AND OCCUPANTS WERE LOCATED ON MARCH 18, 1993.  AN EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE AND AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED TREES AT THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN AND THEN IMPACTED THE TERRAIN AT ABOUT AN ALTITUDE OF 2,800 FEET MSL.  NO AIRFRAME OR ENGINE ANOMALIES WERE NOTED.  THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS NON INSTRUMENT RATED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE FLIGHT.  INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N28196](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N28196-1993-05-18), registration cancelled 1993-05-18, S/N 327940116 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-300
- Registry model: [Piper PA-32-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (registry code 7103212) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 32-7940116
- Airframe hours: 1893
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-K1G5 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Operator: Martin Maerz
- Registered owner: Martin Maerz
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, December 1, 1992, 7 hours before
- Departed: 37PA, SMOKETOWN, PA
- Destination: LBE, LATROBE, PA

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 39; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 194 total, 4 in this make and model, 136 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 270° at 10 knots
- Temperature: 30 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: JST, 20 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19930115009449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930115009449A), Jan 15, 1993: Piper PA32300, Ligonier, PA, Destroyed, 2 fatal. VFR not advised. Departed anyway. Struck trees on cloud obscured mountaintop. No anomalies.

## Other investigations on N28196 (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 IAD71DHD31](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD71DHD31), Nov 22, 1970: Piper J5A (N28196), Smyrna, DE, substantial damage

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.