Piper PA-32R Safety Record

The failure of the alternator and/or battery, which prevented the operation of the landing gear extension system and resulted in the nose landing gear collapsing during the landing roll.

The air traffic controller’s failure to comply with the required vectoring and safety alert procedures, which resulted in the airplane’s flight into rising terrain. Contributing to the accident was the Federal Aviation Administration’s continued practice of using air traffic controllers who were performing required radar operational duties to supervise other controllers and the air traffic control facility’s culture of non-compliance with required procedures.

The noninstrument-rated pilot’s continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his failure to maintain sufficient clearance from rising terrain.

Damage to the propeller governor gasket during installation by unknown persons, which resulted in a total loss of engine oil in flight and a subsequent forced landing.

The noninstrument-rated pilot's decision to continue visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions likely leading to spatial disorientation, which resulted in a loss of airplane control and in-flight structural failure.

The pilot's decision to operate into a known area of adverse weather, which resulted in the inadvertent penetration of a severe thunderstorm, a subsequent loss of control, and in-flight breakup of the airplane.

Maintenance personnel's failure to identify stress corrosion cracking in the stabilator control cable during the most recent inspection, and the subsequent failure of the cable on the flight after the inspection.

The pilot’s failure to maintain the proper glidepath during final approach in night visual meteorological conditions, which resulted in a collision with trees.

The pilot's failure to maintain course heading and terrain clearance because he was distracted by efforts to engage the autopilot shortly after takeoff on a dark night in mountainous terrain.

The non-instrument rated pilot's improper decision to continue visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and subsequent in-flight collision with mountainous terrain.

The pilot's decision to continue the approach and landing at a high airspeed, which resulted in an improper touchdown point and subsequent runway excursion.

The pilot's decision to attempt to maintain visual flight by descending below an area of deteriorating forecast weather to an altitude that did not provide adequate terrain clearance.

The pilot's diverted attention to a landing gear indicator light that led to a loss of directional control and subsequent impact with terrain while taxiing.

The pilot’s failure to abort the takeoff when he realized the airplane was not attaining sufficient takeoff and climb performance. Contributing to the accident was the airplane’s partial loss of engine power due to an obstruction of the fuel servo air inlet by the intake duct coupling and ingestion of exhaust gases from a preexisting hole in the exhaust pipe. Also contributing to the accident was the improper annual inspection of the airplane by the owner and two mechanics.

The manufacturer's inadequate quality control and improper manufacture of the fuel servo diaphragm assembly, which resulted in fatigue cracking of the hub stud and subsequent loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.