Aircraft Incidents and Accidents

Wednesday, July 17, 1996 2:15 PM PDT
TENNANT, CALIFORNIA 96023

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's continued flight into known adverse weather conditions.

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed San Jose, California, on a cross-country flight to Sisters, Oregon. He obtained a standard preflight weather briefing. Visual flight was not recommended. Cumulus buildups were reported to the pilot. The pilot indicated that he may be overflying the cloud tops. He did not file a flight plan. The pilot's wife was driving to the same location and they talked by cell phone while en route. When the pilot failed to arrive at the destination a search was started. According to radar data, the aircraft was at 15,400 feet when it started a rapid descent. Radar was lost at 11,800 feet. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft descending near vertically out of broken clouds with the engine at full power. When the aircraft was found, the right outboard wing panel from about station 110 outboard was missing. About a month later the outer wing panel was found. Analysis of the failed structure indicated a positive overload of the wing and the horizontal stabilators.

Event Information
Type of Event	Accident
Event Date	7/17/1996
Event Day of the Week	Wednesday
Time of Event	1415
Event Time Zone	Pacific Daylight Time
Event City	TENNANT
Event State	CALIFORNIA
Event Country	--
Zipcode of the event site	96023
Event Date Year	1996
Event Date Month	7
MidAir Collision Indicator	No
On Ground Collision occurred ?	No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport	Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles	--
Degrees magnetic from airport	--
Airport Elevation	--
Weather Briefing Completeness	Full
Investigator's weather source	Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation	1256 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees)	180
Weather Observation Facility ID	RBL
Elevation of weather observation facility	349
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?)	125
Time Zone of the weather observation	PDT
Lighting Conditions	Day
Lowest Ceiling Height	0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height	0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions	Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling	None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet)	0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles)	0
Visibility (Statute Miles)	10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius)	27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit)	12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic)	150
Variable Wind Indicator	Unknown
Wind Speed (knots)	13
Wind Velocity Indicator	Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator	Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots)	0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg)	29
Density Altitude (feet)	--
Intensity of Precipitation	Unknown
METAR weather report	--
Event Highest Injury	Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries	0
On Ground, Minor Injuries	0
On Ground, Serious Injuries	0
Injury Total Fatal	2
Injury Total Minor	--
Injury Total None	--
Injury Total Serious	--
Injury Total All	2
Investigating Agency	NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use)	1475
NTSB Notification Source	--
NTSB Notification Date	Jul 17 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time	1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information	IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record	Dec 8 2000 10:12AM
User who most recently changed record	dbo
Basic weather conditions	Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office	--

Aircraft Involved
	Aircraft #1
Aircraft Registration Number	N9324P
NTSB Number	LAX96FA275
Missing Aircraft Indicator	N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part	Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed	None
Flight plan Was Activated?	--
Damage	Destroyed
Aircraft Fire	None
Aircraft Explosion	None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name	Piper
Aircraft Model	PA-24-260
Aircraft Series Identifier	PA-24-260
Aircraft Serial Number	24-4821
Certified Max Gross Weight	3200
Aircraft Category	Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class	U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt?	No
Flight Crew Seats	--
Cabin Crew Seats	--
Passenger Seats	--
Total number of seats on the aircraft	4
Number of Engines	1
Fixed gear or retractable gear	Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection	Annual
Date of Last Inspection	Mar 8 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection	37
Airframe Hours	4229
ELT Installed	Yes
ELT Activated	No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site	Unknown
ELT Type	--
Aircraft Owner Name	KIMBERLY J. LEALE
Aircraft Owner Street Address	3140 ST FRANCIS DR.
Aircraft Owner City	LAKEPORT
Aircraft Owner State	CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode	95453
Operator is an individual?	--
Operator Name	LEROY M. LEALE
Operator Same as Owner?	No
Operator Is Doing Business As	--
Operator Address Same as Owner?	No
Operator Street Address	18300 LAKEVIEW CT.
Operator City	LOS GATOS
Operator State	CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code	95030
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate	None
Other Operator of large aircraft?	No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation	Unknown
Operator Certificate Number	--
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not	--
Indicates Domestic or International Flight	--
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail	--
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary)	Personal
Second Pilot on Board	No
Departure Point Same as Event	No
Departure Airport Code	RHV
Departure City	REID HILLVIEW
Departure State	CA
Departure Country
Departure Time	1237
Departure Time Zone	PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt	--
Destination Airport Code	6K5
Destination City	SISTER
Destination State	OR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight	Cruise
Report sent to ICAO?	--
Evacuation occurred	--
Date of most recent change to record	Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record	dbo
Since inspection or accident	--
Event Location Runway Number and Location	0
Runway Length	--
Runway Width	--
Sight Seeing flight	No
Air Medical Flight	No
Medical Flight	--