Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Greenville, Missouri 63944
Thursday, September 26, 1996 11:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot had telephoned the Jonesboro FSS and was advised by the briefer 'moderate turbulence... icing... visibilities one to two with thunderstorms and rain.... VFR flight is not recommended.' The pilot reported 'I'm gonna file that way and then I'll go just as close as I can get and when it gets bad I'll just shut it down.' Instrument meteorological conditions, severe rain, and thunderstorms were reported by witnesses in the vicinity of the accident site. Several people reported that they heard the sound of the airplane flying overhead at 'a low altitude.' No eyewitnesses were located. The outboard nine feet of the left wing was located approximately 1/4 mile from the main wreckage. Examination of the wing spar fragments and a section of the wing from the vicinity of the left wing fracture revealed 'features typical of overstress separations. Deformation associated with the fracture in the upper and lower spar caps was indicative of a bending overstress separation in the downward direction. No fatigue cracking or other types of progressive deterioration was noted.' Examination of the wreckage revealed no other evidence of preimpact malfunction.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's decision to fly into known adverse weather which resulted in an overload failure and separation of the left wing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/26/1996
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GREENVILLE
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 63944
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 9
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 1135 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID FA
Elevation of weather observation facility 946
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 900
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1664
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 26 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:21AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N195WR
NTSB Number CHI96FA353
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 195
Aircraft Series Identifier 195
Aircraft Serial Number 7050
Certified Max Gross Weight 3150
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM C. RAYBURN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8416 HARRIS AVE
Aircraft Owner City HARAHAN
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70123
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AWM
Departure City WEST MEMPHIS
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1035
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 1H0
Destination City CREVE COEUR
Destination State MO
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 --