Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Akron, Ohio 44319
Wednesday, September 29, 1993 16:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A VFR CROSS-COUNTRY, AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP OF THE AIRPLANE OCCURRED. WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER ABOUT A 1.5 MILE AREA. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE RIGHT WING FAILED IN POSITIVE OVERLOAD ABOUT 9' INBOARD FROM THE WING TIP & STRUCK THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, WHICH SEPARATED. NO PRE-EXISTING DEFECT WAS NOTED. THE PILOT WAS IN CONTACT WITH CLEVELAND AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER WHEN HE REPORTED AN ALTITUDE OF 16,500' MSL & 'IN THE SOUP.' RADAR DATA FROM CENTER SHOWED THE AIRPLANE MADE SEVERAL ALTITUDE & HEADING EXCURSIONS DURING A 30 MINUTE PERIOD BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. JUST BEFORE DISAPPEARING FROM RADAR, THE FLIGHT TRACK DEVIATED TO THE RIGHT. A WITNESS SAW THE PLANE DESCENDING MINUS A LARGE SECTION OF ONE WING AFTER HEARING A LOUD 'POP.' ACCORDING TO FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS, NO PERSON MAY OPERATE A CIVIL AIRCRAFT AT CABIN PRESSURE ALTITUDES ABOVE 14,000' MSL UNLESS THE REQUIRED MINIMUM FLIGHT CREW IS PROVIDED WITH & USES SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE INDICATED THERE WAS NO SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN ABOARD THE PLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

CONTINUED FLIGHT BY THE PILOT TO AN ALTITUDE THAT WAS NOT APPROPRIATE WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO HYPOXIA AND SUBSEQUENTLY EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND CONTINUED FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/29/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City AKRON
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44319
Event Date Year 1993
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 1950 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID CAK
Elevation of weather observation facility 1228
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2600
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2055
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 29 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1815
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:38PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6489P
NTSB Number BFO93FA189
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-24-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-250
Aircraft Serial Number 24-1608
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Jan 4 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIRE AUSTIN INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1511 WEST OAKLAND
Aircraft Owner City AUSTIN
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55912
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AIRE AUSTIN INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1511 WEST OAKLAND
Operator City AUSTIN
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 55912
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 FZI
Departure City FOSTORIA
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 1930
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CXY
Destination City HARRISBURG
Destination State PA
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 --