Piper PA-32R-301 accident near Lapeer, New York, April 12, 1993
On April 12, 1993 at about 1:51 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-301, registered N292SP, was destroyed in an accident near Lapeer, New York. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT DECISION TO CONTINUE FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN UPDATED WEATHER INFORMATION PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE ICING CONDITIONS, AND THE DEGRADED AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE DUE TO AIRFRAME ICE AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO RETRACT THE LANDING GEAR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 12, 1993 · about 1:51 pm local time
- Place
- Lapeer, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-301 · all PA-32R-301s on the register
- Registration
- N292SP · registry record · serial 3213038
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS INSTRUMENT TRAINING. WX WAS OBTAINED AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED THE EVENING BEFORE THE FLIGHT; NO FURTHER UPDATED WX BRIEFING WAS OBTAINED. CURRENT AIRMETS CALLED FOR, AND PIREPS REPORTED, INFLIGHT ICING FOR THE ROUTE AND DESTINATION. THE AIRPLANE WAS NEITHER DE-ICING NOR ANTI-ICING EQUIPPED. JUST BEFORE THE APCH CLEARANCE WAS ISSUED TO THE PILOT, ANOTHER AIRCRAFT ON THE SAME FREQUENCY WAS ISSUED A PIREP FOR MODERATE ICING. A VOR APCH TO THE ORIGINAL DESTINATION WAS INITIATED. THE CLOUD CEILING WAS 500 FT BELOW THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE. A MISSED APPROACH WAS EXECUTED. THE INSTRUCTOR RADIOED SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT ENCOUNTERING ICING CONDITIONS AND HIS INABILITY TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. ATC ISSUED PROGRESSIVELY LOWER ALTITUDES, WITH A FINAL EMERGENCY VECTORING ALTITUDE OF 2300 FT, BASED ON THEIR EMERGENCY OBSTRUCTION VIDEO MAP (EVOM). OBSTRUCTIONS 2300 FT HIGH WERE DEPICTED IN THE AREA ON THE EOVM. THE AIRPLANE, WITH LANDING GEAR EXTENDED, IMPACTED TREES AT 2000 FT ELEVATION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command; 1,600 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 347 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 30, 1992; 236 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: E.G. And H. INC.
The flight
- Departed from: GON Groton CT at 12:01 pm
- Destination: N03 Cortland NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from ITH, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
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.