Piper PA 28-140 accident near Wooster, Ohio, September 21, 2016
On September 21, 2016 at about 4:36 pm local time, a 1975 Piper PA 28-140, registered N4470X, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Wooster, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 2016 · about 4:36 pm local time
- Place
- Wooster, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-140, built 1975 · all PA 28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N4470X · no longer on the register · serial 28-7625040
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot stated that, about 30-40 minutes into the cross-country flight, at an altitude of 3,500 ft, the engine suddenly experienced a total loss of power. The pilot turned on the fuel boost pump, adjusted the mixture, and switched fuel tanks to restart the engine. The propeller rotated, but the engine did not start. The pilot subsequently landed the airplane in a soybean field. Upon touching down, the nose gear dug into the dirt and the airplane nosed over. A postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any preexisting mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have resulted in the loss of engine power.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 388 hours in all; 155 in this make and model; 388 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 16, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,744 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 16, 2016; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 3,744 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5A1 Norwalk OH at 4:00 pm
- Destination: TSO Carrollton OH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from KCAK, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 20, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversations | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Carburetor Icing Chart | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.