Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tool, Texas 75143
Friday, July 17, 1992 16:22 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO PENETRATE A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH TOPS OF 45,000 FEET. THE PILOT REPORTED, DURING HIS LAST COMMUNICATIONS, THAT HE WAS ENCOUNTERING SEVERE TURBULENCE. THE AIRPLANE PIECES WERE SEEN TO FALL TO THE GROUND, SCATTERED OVER AN AREA OF 10 SQUARE MILES. SURFACE WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AT 40 MILES PER HOUR GUSTING TO 60 MILES PER HOUR WITH HEAVY RAIN. PRE FLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING IDENTIFIED THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER AND THE PILOT WAS ADVISED BY THE BRIEFER TO REMAIN ON THE GROUND UNTIL IT PASSED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT EXCEEDED THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRFRAME AS A RESULT OF FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/17/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1622
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City TOOL
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75143
Event Date Year 1992
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 40
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 60
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2400
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2446
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 17 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1750
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47158
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:05PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6959C
NTSB Number FTW92FA180
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-28R-201T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-201
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7803242
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Jul 17 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 252
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MAG WELL INCORPORATED
Aircraft Owner Street Address 800 DOUGLAS NO 8
Aircraft Owner City DALLAS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 73225
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MAG WELL INCORPORATED
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 800 DOUGLAS NO 8
Operator City DALLAS
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 73225
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 ARA
Departure City NEW IBERIA
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1323
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DAL
Destination City DALLAS
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --