Piper PA-32R-301 Saratoga II HP | N9236J

The DTSB determines the Probable Cause of this accident to be Pilot Error, in that while the pilot may have previously held a pilots license, at the time of the accident he did not. His most recent FAA Third class medical was dated April, 2023. The pilot reported “moisture” in flight and declared an emergency to ATC, after which the aircraft broke up in flight. The wreckage was scattered over several square miles. It is likely that the aircraft encountered both convective activity, and may have also picked up airframe icing. Somehow the airframe was obviously oversped, causing an exceedance of the maximum structural load carrying ability of the airframe.

Probable Cause issued 5/21/2026 – 25 months after the accident: The pilot’s decision to depart into an area of instrument meteorological and icing conditions, which resulted in loss of airplane control and a subsequent in-flight breakup.

The DTSB recommends that all pilots of all aircraft use best practices in preflight planning to avoid both in flight icing, as well as highly developed convective thunderstorm activity. The basic fuselage was found somewhat intact with the pilot in the front left seat, most likely alive and conscious for the entire uncontrolled descent to impact. The DTSB recommends that you take extraordinary steps to not experience this.