- Date
- January 31, 1992, 16:06 local (21:06 UTC)
- Place
- Swanton, OH
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N6038APiper PA-31T
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920131001569A
- Case key
- 15282
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Loss of aircraft control for an undetermined reason.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot made routine radio communications in preparation for takeoff. The airplane departed from runway 25 in daylight instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) with light snow and fog. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane's radar target disappeared from the controller's scope. The airplane crashed on wooded terrain about two miles south-southwest of the departure end of runway 25. Impact occurred in an steep, nose down, left wing low attitude. The airplane was destroyed by ground impact forces and a post-impact fire. No physical incapacitation of the pilot-in-command was determined. No contributory mechanical malfunctions of the airplane were discovered.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6038A
- Reported as
- Piper PA-31T
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31T-7820072
- Engine
- P&W PT6A-28, 620 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Testa, Thomas J.
- Registered owner
- Testa, Thomas J.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · January 17, 1992
- Departed
- TOL · Toledo, OH
- Destination
- AFJ · Washington, PA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- TOL · Toledo Express, runway 25, 10,600 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 6,850 total · 3,800 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,100 ft overcast
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TOL, 2 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.