Piper PA-22-160 accident near West Union, Ohio, November 15, 2021
On November 15, 2021 at about 10:30 pm local time, a 1960 Piper PA-22-160, registered N3463Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near West Union, Ohio (Alexander Salamon airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A malfunction of the flight controls for reasons that could not be determined based on available information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 2021 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- West Union, Ohio · Alexander Salamon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-160, built 1960 · all PA-22-160s on the register
- Registration
- N3463Z · registry record · serial 22-7385
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that he was conducting a solo cross-country flight when the airplane began to roll left unless he continuously held right aileron input. The pilot elected to divert, and during the landing flare, the airplane continued the left roll and touched down hard past the 1,000-ft runway markers. The airplane bounced and touched down a second time before departing the left side of the runway, where it impacted a ditch and nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and engine mount. A postaccident examination did not reveal any flight control anomalies that would have caused the left rolling tendency, and the reason for the malfunction could not be determined based on the available information.
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
- Flight control sys malf/fail during enroute (cruise)
- Unknown or undetermined during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › (general) › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 51 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 50 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,009 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 5, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 1,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KLUG Lewisburg TN at 9:20 pm
- Destination: KTZR Columbus OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 3,558 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 5:15 pm from KFGX, 20 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KFGX 152215Z AUTO 26007KT 10SM BKN060 BKN080 OVC090 05/M03 A3017 RMK AO2 T00451030
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on April 5, 2023. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Flight Control Inspection | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | 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.