Piper PA-32R Safety Record

The pilot's continued flight into night instrument meteorological conditions during the landing approach, which resulted in an in-flight loss of aircraft control due to spatial disorientation.

The pilot's failure to execute a timely missed approach and subsequent failure to maintain aircraft control, after he was unable to establish the airplane on the instrument approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's possible impairment due to his medical condition and/or medication use.

Fatigue failure of the No. 5 engine cylinder fuel supply line, which resulted in an engine compartment fire. Also causal was the pilot's failure to immediately secure the engine/perform a forced landing after discovery of the fire, which resulted in the pilot's loss of control of the airplane.

The non-instrument-rated pilot’s decision to attempt flight in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and an in-flight collision with a radio tower guy wire.

The pilot's poor judgment/decision making in attempting the no-flap takeoff, his failure to comply with weight and balance limitations, and his failure to calculate the airplane's performance under exiting conditions.

The pilot’s inappropriate control inputs as a result of spatial disorientation, which led to an aerodynamic stall and loss of control. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's decision to conduct flight into known icing conditions, ice accumulation that reduced the airplane's aerodynamic performance, and the pilot's failure to initially intercept and establish the airplane on the proper approach course.

The decision by the pilot to fly into known adverse weather, and the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane due to spatial disorientation. Contributing factors include the clouds and the night conditions.

The pilot's spatial disorientation when he encountered convective turbulence which resulted in a loss of control. This encounter resulted in an in-flight break up. Contributing to the accident was the convective turbulence in the clouds.

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane which was a result of spatial disorientation after takeoff into instrument conditions with an operationally degraded electronic primary flight display. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s failure to properly utilize the airplane’s standby flight instruments, the electronic primary flight display system’s unaligned state prior to takeoff for undetermined reasons, and the pilot’s lack of knowledge of degraded autopilot functions with an unaligned primary display system.

The loss of engine power during cruise flight due to oil starvation, resulting in an emergency off-airport forced landing. A factor associated with the accident was the instructor's improper in-flight decision in delaying to seek an emergency landing site following a loss of oil pressure indication.

The pilot's improperly planned approach which resulted in the encounter with wake turbulence while the airplane's airspeed exceeded maneuvering speed. This encounter resulted in the subsequent loss of aircraft control and the in-flight separation of the left and right sides of the stabilator and the left wing.

The pilots failure to maintain altitude and clearance during a visual descent which resulting in an in-flight collision with trees and the ground for undetermined reasons.

The pilot's in-flight decision to continue VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions during descent, which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees and terrain. Fog, low ceiling, and obscuration were factors.

The pilot's improper decision to abort the landing after the airplane contacted the runway. A factor in the accident was the pilot's failure to ensure the landing gear was extended during the landing.

the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing. Contributing factor's included the quartering tailwind, and the pilot's inadequate in-flight decision making.

The pilot's failure to execute a missed approach and his failure to maintain sufficient altitude and clearance from terrain and obstructions. Contributing factors were the pilot's failure to obtain a preflight weather briefing, his decision to delay descent for approach (icing concerns), cloud ceilings below the minimum descent altitude, in-flight icing conditions, dark night lighting conditions, and the fence and residence.

The pilot's failure to select and maintain an adequate terrain avoidance cruise altitude. Contributing factors were the dark nighttime conditions, the rising mountainous terrain, and the Federal Aviation Administration controller's failure to issue a terrain-related safety alert.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate control of the airplane, which resulted in the pilot exceeding the design limits of the airplane and subsequent in-flight separation.