Piper PA28R accident near Pleasant Plain, OH
On March 19, 2020, a Piper PA28R (airplane) was involved in an accident near Pleasant Plain, OH. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- March 19, 2020
- Place
- Pleasant Plain, OH
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28R · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 39.294°N, 84.108°W
- NTSB ID
- 20200319X90956
Official records · CEN20LA127
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Memorandum For The Record ATC Communications And Adsb Graphics Cen20la127: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
On March 18, 2020, about 2245 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-180 airplane, N3943T, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Pleasant Plain, Ohio. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. The instrument flight rules (IFR) flight originated about 1820 from Muskogee-Davis Regional Airport (MKO), Muskogee, Oklahoma. According to records obtained from the fixed base operator at MKO, the pilot purchased 30.5 gallons of 100 low lead aviation fuel prior to departure. The intended destination was Clermont County Airport (I69), Batavia, Ohio. The pilot was in communication with air traffic control (ATC) during the flight. Radar and automated dependent surveillance – broadcast (ADS-B) data showed that the airplane few northeast and climbed to 11,000 ft msl after departing MKO. About 2112 the airplane descended from 11,000 ft, and the pilot requested an RNAV approach to runway 22 at I69. At this point, the airplane was flying in dark night instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The automated weather observation system (AWOS) at I69 reported wind from 230ºat 8 knots, visibility 7 miles with drizzle, and ceiling overcast at 600 ft agl. ATC issued the pilot radar vectors to the pilot to proceed to the FIGPU, the initial approach fix (IAF) for the RNAV approach to runway 22. The airplane was 8 miles from FIGPU when ATC instructed the pilot to maintain 3,000 ft and cleared him for the RNAV approach for runway 22. The airplane was about 2.5 miles west of FIGPU when the airplane
Probable cause
The pilot’s encounter with convective turbulence and low-level wind shear in dark night instrument meteorological conditions that resulted in spatial disorientation and the loss of airplane control.
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Browse: Ohio · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
