Piper PA-28-181 accident near Granville, Ohio, April 16, 1996
On April 16, 1996 at about 2:28 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8276Y, was destroyed in an accident near Granville, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's intentional flight into known icing conditions and his overconfidence in his ability, which led to a partial loss of engine power as a result of induction system ice. Also causal was ATC's excessive vectoring of the airplane in icing conditions, further deteriorating the airplane's performance, and thereby placing the airplane beyond gliding distance to a nearby airport. In addition, the pilot failed to maintain airspeed during the forced landing, which resulted in a stall. The icing conditions were a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 1996 · about 2:28 pm local time
- Place
- Granville, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8276Y · registry record · serial 28-8190060
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The passenger reported that the flight was delayed a day due to weather, and that she was scheduled to attend a class at the destination the day of the accident. Prior to departure, icing advisories were issued to the pilot for his route of flight; temperatures aloft ranging from -6 to -8 degrees C. The pilot advised the passenger of icing conditions prior to departure, and reassured her they could deviate if those conditions were encountered. During the flight, in IMC at 9,000 feet, the pilot radioed that he had a partial loss of engine power, and requested vectors to the nearest airport. Columbus Approach initially provided a vector to an airport about 12.5 miles northeast, within gliding range. Approach also thought the airport would be VFR, and that the flight would be aided with a tailwind. The flight was then vectored to an airport about 17.5 miles southwest, which was IFR and had several pilot reports of icing conditions. Several minutes later Columbus Approach provided a vector back to the initial airport northeast, followed shortly thereafter by a vector to a third airport about 12.5 miles southeast. The airplane crashed about 6 miles from the third airport. Inspection of the spark plug electrodes revealed a condition consistent with a rich mixture. One half-inch-thick pieces of ice, matching the leading edges of the wings, were observed in the vicinity of the wreckage. The airplane was not approved for icing conditions. The ATC handbook stated that certain weather phenomenon may deserve weighted consideration when recommending an emergency airport; the pilot may elect to fly further to an airport with VFR conditions.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 232 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 155 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,087 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 5, 1995; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CGX Chicago IL at 12:05 pm
- Destination: UNI Athens OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:08 pm from CMH, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.