Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anson, Texas 79501
Sunday, June 26, 1988 14:47 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT ENCOUNTERED FORECAST TSTMS EN ROUTE. AT 1430 CDT, THE PLT HAD RPTD 2400 FT MSL, CLIMBING TO HIS CRUISE ALTITUDE AT 8000 FT. AT 1440, THE PLT REQUESTED, AND DEVIATION AROUND WEATHER WAS APPROVED. THE PLT DID NOT REPORT FURTHER DIFFICULTY, BUT LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP OF THE ACFT OCCURRED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. WEATHER AND RADAR DATA INDICATE THAT THE AIRPLANE BROKE UP NEAR THE EDGE OF A LEVEL TWO THUNDERSTORM. HEAVY RAIN AND LIGHTNING WERE REPORTED BY LOCAL RESIDENTS. THE OUTBOARD END OF THE LEFT WING AND THE STABILATOR HAD SEPARATED IN-FLIGHT. THE LEFT WING FAILED IN POSITIVE OVERLOAD. ALTHOUGH THE RIGHT WING HAD NOT SEPARATED, IT ALSO REVEALED DAMAGE FM HIGH POSITIVE LOADING. THE STABILATOR FRACTURES INDICATED TORSIONAL OVERLOAD. BOTH PLTS HELD PVT PILOT CERTIFICATES AND WERE INSTRUMENT-RATED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE WEATHER EVALUATION-PIC; FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, INADVERTENT-PIC; DESIGN STRESS LIMITS EXCEEDED BY PIC; THUNDERSTORM

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/26/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1447
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ANSON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79501
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 6
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 1447 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID ABI
Elevation of weather observation facility 1790
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1200
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2256
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 27 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40071
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:50AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2889N
NTSB Number FTW88FA125
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-28-236
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-236
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7911229
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 68
Airframe Hours 910
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GLADYS HARR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3206-75TH
Aircraft Owner City LUBBOCK
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79423
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GLADYS HARR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3206-75TH
Operator City LUBBOCK
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 79423
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ABI
Departure City ABILENE
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1429
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LBB
Destination City LUBBOCK
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 10:30AM
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 --