Piper PA-32-301 accident near Heath, Ohio, February 14, 1992
On February 14, 1992 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-301, registered N4380T, was destroyed in an accident near Heath, Ohio (Newark-Heath airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN INADVERTENT STALL WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY. AN ADDITIONAL CAUSE WAS THE PILOT'S SELF INDUCED PRESSURE TO COMPLETE THE FIGHT IN KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, AND TO DEVIATE FROM THE PUBLISHED INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LOW CLOUDS AND THE ICING CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 1992 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Heath, Ohio · Newark-Heath · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301 · all PA-32-301s on the register
- Registration
- N4380T · no longer on the register · serial 32-8506001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT MADE A FLT INTO KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS AFTER HE RECEIVED A WX BRIEF VIA DUAT. AREA AIRPORTS WERE REPORTING LOW CEILINGS, HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO WX REPORTING FACILITIES AT HIS DESTINATION. WITNESSES REPORTED A 200 FOOT CEILING AND 1 MILE VIS WITH FOG. HE MISSED ON HIS FLIGHT APCH AND AFTER THE SECOND APCH, HE WAS SEEN AND HEARD BY WITNESSES FLYING SOUTHEAST OF THE ARPT AT A LOW ALT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT 0915 AND THE PILOT HAD A 1000 APPOINTMENT IN THE TOWN. IN ADDITION, HE HAD AN APPOINTMENT AT 1300 BACK AT HIS OFFICE, WHICH WAS 50 ROAD MILES OR 20 AIR MINUTES AWAY. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT CERTIFIED FOR FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS. THE PILOT HAD APPROXIMATELY 340 HOURS, ALL OBTAINED IN THE PRECEDING YEAR.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 340 hours in all; 225 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 210 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 8, 1991; 190 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MFD Mansfield OH at 1:19 pm
- Destination: 2I8 Newark OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 4,648 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N4380T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.