Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hamilton, Alabama 35570
Wednesday, October 23, 1985 16:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT 1450 CDT, WHILE THE PLT WAS CRUISING AT 11,000', ARTCC BROADCAST INFO CONCERNING SIGMET 17C, WARNING PLTS OF THUNDER-STORMS WITH TOPS TO FL 450. AT 1613, RADAR DATA SHOWED THE ACFT AT 11,300'. WHEN ASKED ABOUT HIS ALT, THE PLT REPLIED HE WAS IN A CELL & WOULD BE RETURNING TO HIS ALT OF 11,000'. HE DID NOT REQUEST ASSISTANCE. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, RADAR DATA SHOWED THE ACFT HAD LOST 1000', THEN THE DISPLAY WENT INTO A COAST TRACK. LATER, THE WRECKAGE WAS FND SCATTERED OVER AN AREA APRX 1 MI LONG & 1/4 MI WIDE. THE WINGS & STABILATORS HAD SEPARATED DURING AN IN-FLT BREAKUP. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE WINGS HAD FAILED FROM POSITIVE OVERLOADS. NO PRE-ACDNT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND. THE PLT'S BODY WAS FND AT 0737 CDT ON 10/24/85. A TOXICOLOGY CHECK SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.031%, BUT THE AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL DUE TO PUTREFACTION WAS NOT VERIFIED. A WX SUMMARY SHOWED THE ACFT WAS IN THE VICINITY OF A VERY STRONG WX ECHO WITH MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE & UP/DOWNDRAFTS IN THE THUNDERSTORM BELOW 20,000'.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/23/1985
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1615
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HAMILTON
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35570
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 10
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 280
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 2204
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 23 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30034
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8132L
NTSB Number ATL86FA010
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-34-220T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34-220T
Aircraft Serial Number 34-8233094
Certified Max Gross Weight 4750
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 1208
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BERTRAND J. MARLIER, JR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 168 WOODSHIRE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City PITTSBURGH
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15215
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 5DF
Departure City SPRINGFIELD
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1514
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City DOTHAN
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 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --