Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Uniontown, Alabama 36786
Friday, July 1, 1988 7:07 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PIC OBTAINED WX BRIEF AT ABOUT 0430 REGARDING AN IFR FLT. FSS SPECIALIST INFORMED PIC THERE WERE THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLT & TO CALL FOR UPDATE JUST PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. WX BRIEF INDICATED FLT WOULD BE INTO AN UNSTABLE AIR MASS DUE TO A QUASAI STATIONERY COLD FRONT. ABOUT 30 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, VFR, PIC CONTACTED ARTCC FOR IFR CLNC STATING THERE WAS WX AHEAD. CONTROLLER SAID TO EXPECT MODERATE RAIN & LIGHT CHOP. PIC DID NOT SEEK WX UPDATE REGARDING PREVIOUSLY REPORTED TSTMS. WX RADAR DEPICTED AREA OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION TWO MINUTES PRIOR TO THE LOSS OF RADAR CONTACT & IN THE SAME GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION. RADAR SHOWED THAT TRACK & ALT OF ACFT WAS CONSISTENT FOR THE 6 MINUTES PRIOR TO LOSS OF CONTACT. ACFT BROKE APART IN FLT DUE TO DOWNWARD BENDING OF LEFT WING AND BOTH STABILATOR HALVES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/1/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 707
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City UNIONTOWN
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36786
Event Date Year 1988
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 655 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 350
Weather Observation Facility ID TCL
Elevation of weather observation facility 170
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1200
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2026
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 1 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1033
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38382
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8324V
NTSB Number ATL88FA207
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-32
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32
Aircraft Serial Number 32-8106037
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 20 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 1223
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name J.W. BELANGER/J. MICHAEL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4601 BIT & SPUR ROAD
Aircraft Owner City MOBILE
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36608
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOSEPH W. BELANGER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4601 BIT AND SPUR ROAD
Operator City MOBILE
Operator State AL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 36608
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 15A
Departure City MOBILE
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 622
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DCU
Destination City DECATUR
Destination State AL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --