Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Okmulgee, Oklahoma 74447
Saturday, September 17, 1988 23:02 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT CONTD VFR FLT AT NIGHT INTO AN AREA THAT WX BRIEFERS & ATC CONTROLLERS HAD WARNED OF THUNDERSTORMS, HEAVY PRECIPATION & POSSIBLE TORNADO ACTIVITY. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE REQUESTED 'A LITTLE GUIDANCE' & SAID HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE 'HOLDING A POSITION' & WAS 'RUNNING ON A . . . MAGNETIC COMPASS.' SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP DESCENT, THEN RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST. THE ACFT BROKE UP IN FLT AT AN UNKNOWN ALT & WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER A 3 MI AREA. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE RGT WING HAD FAILED UNDER POSITIVE LOADS (UPWARD) &THE THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER SPAR WAS BENT DOWNWARD. THE RGT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER SEPARATED & WAS NOT FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT'S INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO AN AREA OF ADVERSE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THUNDERSTORMS, HEAVY PRECIPITATION, AND TURBULENCE. THE PILOT EXPERIENCED VERTIGO AND LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SUSTAINED AN INFIGHT BREAKUP AT A HIGH ALTITUDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/17/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2302
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City OKMULGEE
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 74447
Event Date Year 1988
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 1150 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID TUL
Elevation of weather observation facility 725
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2272
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 18 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 215
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40084
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N47806
NTSB Number FTW88FA164
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
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-7803017
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 5 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 87
Airframe Hours 1447
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD SMITH ENTERPRISES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2162 OCEANSHORE BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City ORMOND BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32074
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RICHARD SMITH ENTERPRISES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2162 OCEANSHORE BLVD
Operator City ORMOND BEACH
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32074
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 JAN
Departure City JACKSON
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 2000
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PWA
Destination City OKLAHOMA CITY
Destination State OK
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 --