# NTSB CHI77FEI10: Piper PA-32, N5542J, Elyria, OH, January 19, 1977

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Closed
- Date: January 19, 1977
- Place: Elyria, OH · ELYRIA, OH
- Location: 41.3792° N, 82.0996° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Elyria, OH, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3792&lon=-82.0996&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 3 minor
- Status: Completed, report March 9, 1977
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 157056
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI77FEI10
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI77FEI10

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0081  77/1/19    ELYRIA,OH           PIPER PA-32         CR-  0  0  1  NONCOMMERCIAL             COMMERCIAL, AGE 55, 5117
        TIME - 0805                    N5542J              PX-  0  0  2  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 286 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - LORAIN COUNTY
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          ELYRIA,OH                   MIDDLE BASS IS,OH
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLIDED WITH: SNOWBANK                                  LANDING: LEVEL OFF/TOUCHDOWN
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INITIATED FLIGHT IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - ICE-WINDSHIELD
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - NOT ALIGNED WITH RUNWAY/INTENDED LANDING AREA
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - ICING CONDITIONS-INCLUDES SLEET,FREEZING RAIN,ETC.
        WEATHER BRIEFING - RECIEVED RECORDED BRIEFING BY LFMF RADIO
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OBSCURATION                                               1000
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          3 MILES OR LESS                                          SNOW
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  RELATIVE BEARING OF WIND
          NONE                                                     RIGHT QUARTERING HEAD WIND 023-067 DEGREES
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
          285                                                       13
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR                                                      NONE
        REMARKS- ENCOUNTERED FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET AFTER DPTR AND RETURNED TO DPTR POINT
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5542J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5542J-1977-07-08), registration cancelled 1977-07-08, S/N 321005 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32
- Registry model: [Piper PA-32-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-260) (registry code 7103206) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Airport: Lorain County

## 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 19770119001029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19770119001029A), Jan 19, 1977: Piper PA32260, Elyria, OH, Substantial damage. Encountered freezing rain and sleet after dptr and returned to dptr point

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.
