Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pullman, Michigan 49450
Thursday, September 17, 1992 10:47 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT DEPARTED ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN ON A ROUTE WHICH HE HAD BEEN ADVISED CONTAINED FORECAST AND REPORTED THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ICING AND TURBULENCE. AT 15,000 FEET HE REPORTED ENCOUNTERING RAIN AND ICING AND REQUESTED A LOWER ALTITUDE. AFTER BEING CLEARED TO 13,000 FEET THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO ACCELERATE TO 6,250 FEET PER MINUTE ON RADAR DATA. SHORTLY AFTER THIS THE FUSELAGE WAS OBSERVED BY A GROUND WITNESS TO DESCEND OUT OF A CLOUD WITH NO WINGS OR TAIL. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE FAILED TO REVEAL ANY PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL ANOMALIES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/17/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1047
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PULLMAN
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49450
Event Date Year 1992
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID GRR
Elevation of weather observation facility 794
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 42
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2200
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 886
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 17 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50080
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:18PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39652
NTSB Number CHI92FA280
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-32RT-300T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32RT-30
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-7887133
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 10 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 2454
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WEBER, TRACY T.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4800 SOUTH HOWELL AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City MILWAUKEE
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 53207
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WEBER, TRACY T.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 4800 SOUTH HOWELL AVENUE
Operator City MILWAUKEE
Operator State WI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 53207
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 MKE
Departure City MILWAUKEE
Departure State WI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DUJ
Destination City DU BOIS
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --