Piper PA32R accident near Loogootee, Indiana, April 30, 2022
On April 30, 2022 at about 12:10 pm local time, a 1983 Piper PA32R, registered N4303P, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Loogootee, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadequate maintenance and subsequent failure of an internal component in the fuel servo that prevented adequate fuel flow to the engine, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 2022 · about 12:10 pm local time
- Place
- Loogootee, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32R 301, built 1983 · all PA32Rs on the register
- Registration
- N4303P · registry record · serial 32R-8313020
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that about 10 minutes after departure the engine sustained a partial loss of power. During the forced landing to a gravel road, the airplane’s left wing contacted a tree, which resulted in substantial damage. A postaccident engine test run was performed, and the engine would not produce rated power, so the fuel servo was removed for testing. Functional testing and examination of the fuel servo revealed that it would not deliver fuel to rated specifications due to a self-locking nut being stuck inside the top section of the plug. This resulted in the head idle spring not properly allowing fuel to flow through the ball valve. The engine and fuel servo had both surpassed the manufacturers’ established time between overhauls by 572 hours.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › (general) › Not serviced/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,984 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 15, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,374.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 7, 2022; 8.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HNB Huntingburg IN at 11:50 am
- Destination: GPC Greencastle IN
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 am from KDCY, 10 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KDCY 301215Z AUTO 15007KT 10SM BKN048 18/14 A2992 RMK AO2 T01760135
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on March 13, 2024. 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 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Logbook Entries | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Overhaul Service Bulletins | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Record of Conversation FAA Engine Exam and Run | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Record of Conversation FAA Fuel Servo Examination | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | 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.