Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Decker, Indiana 47524
Friday, July 17, 1992 20:20 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PILOT STARTED PULL UP FOR REVERSAL TURN IN AERIAL APPLICATION MANEUVER. THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE. AIRPLANE CRASHED IN FIELD AND WAS CONSUMED BY POST CRASH FIRE. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED PREEXISTING FATIGUE CRACKS IN LOWER SPAR CAP OF THE RIGHT WING ORIGINATING FROM TWO MISDRILLED HOLES. AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE TO INSPECT FOR WING SPAR FATIGUE CRACKS HAD NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE RIGHT WING SPAR, IMPROPER MAINTENANCE/MODIFICATION, AND FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/17/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2020
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City DECKER
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47524
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1950 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID EVV
Elevation of weather observation facility 418
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 27
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2874
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 20 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47718
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4766Y
NTSB Number CHI92DEX03
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-25-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-25-260
Aircraft Serial Number L-11951-40AC
Certified Max Gross Weight 2100
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 28 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 96
Airframe Hours 6001
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AIR AID, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ROUTE 1
Operator City PATOKA
Operator State IN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 47666
Operator Code MVLG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code IN30
Departure City PATOKA
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 2010
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code IN30
Destination City
Destination State
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 --