Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Delight, Arkansas 71940
Friday, August 6, 1993 11:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER BEING CLEARED FOR THE LOCALIZER APPROACH TO THE TEXARKANA AIRPORT, THE PILOT CANCELLED HIS IFR FLIGHT PLAN, AND SAID HE WOULD PROCEED VFR TO NASHVILLE, AR. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS IN THE CLOUDS AND THAT HE HAD LOST HIS VACUUM, THE TURN COORDINATOR DID NOT WORK, AND HE WAS ON THE VERGE OF VERTIGO. THE CONTROLLER ATTEMPTED TO VECTOR THE PILOT BACK TO TEXARKANA, BUT NOTED HE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY HOLDING A HEADING. THE AIRPLANE BROKE UP IN FLIGHT. THE LEFT WING SPAR WAS FOUND TWISTED UP AND AFT, THE RIGHT WING SPAR WAS BENT SLIGHTLY DOWN AND AFT, AND THE VERTICAL STABILIZER SPAR WAS BENT AFT. LABORATORY EXAMINATION OF THE VACUUM PUMP REVEALED THE DRIVE SHAFT HAD SHEARED IN TORSION, THE ROTOR HAD BROKEN IN OVERSTRESS, AND THE VANES WERE WORN. IT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED IF THE INOPERATIVE TURN COORDINATOR, WHICH HAD AN ELECTRICAL IMPEDANCE OF 10,000 OHMS, HAD FAILED PRIOR TO OR ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE VACUUM PUMP, AND AN INOPERATIVE TURN COORDINATOR. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AS A RESULT OF SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, THE PILOT EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRPLANE, AND THE WEATHER CONDITIONS (CLOUDS).

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/6/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1140
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DELIGHT
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71940
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 8
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 1100 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 215
Weather Observation Facility ID TXK
Elevation of weather observation facility 389
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1815
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 6
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 6
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1541
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 6 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:34PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N479KC
NTSB Number DEN93FA099
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7840019
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 12 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 67
Airframe Hours 2497
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MCGLAUGHLIN, EARL W.
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 478
Aircraft Owner City MINERAL SPRGS
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71851
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LNK
Departure City LINCOLN
Departure State NE
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code M77
Destination City NASHVILLE
Destination State AR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --