Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ramah, Colorado 80832
Sunday, July 9, 1995 8:52 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE MANEUVERING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED AN IN-FLIGHT STRUCTURAL FAILURE THAT RESULTED IN SEPARATION OF THE LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS AND THE HORIZONTAL TAIL ASSEMBLIES. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PRINCIPAL FAILURE MODES WERE GROSS POSITIVE (UPWARD) OVERLOADS ON BOTH THE WINGS AND THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS, WITH FAILURE OF THE STABILIZERS OCCURRING PRIMARILY DUE TO POSITIVE UPWARD LEADING EDGE TORSION. THE PILOT-OWNER POSSESSED A CURRENT LETTER OF AUTHORIZATION TO SERVE AS PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF THE T-28; THE SECOND PILOT'S LETTER OF AUTHORIZATION HAD EXPIRED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE AIRCREW ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE'S DESIGN STRESS LIMITS TO BE EXCEEDED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/9/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 852
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City RAMAH
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80832
Event Date Year 1995
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 856 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 223
Weather Observation Facility ID COS
Elevation of weather observation facility 6874
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 27
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 8689
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) 1219
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 9 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 950
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N28TP
NTSB Number FTW95FA278
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name NORTH AMERICAN
Aircraft Model T-28B
Aircraft Series Identifier T-28B
Aircraft Serial Number 137736
Certified Max Gross Weight 8050
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Sep 18 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 14208
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN L. BREIT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12260 CONTROL TOWER RD
Aircraft Owner City ENGLEWOOD
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80111
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code APA
Departure City ENGLEWOOD
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 831
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --