Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Burns, Wyoming 82053
Monday, May 16, 1983 18:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

BEFORE DEPARTING, THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING & WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED THRU WESTERN NEBRASKA & EASTERN WYOMING. A FRONTAL WX SYS WAS FORCASTED TO PRODUCE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WITH ASSOCIATED TURBULENCE & RAIN. REPORTEDLY, THE PLT WAS ANXIOUS TO MAKE THE FLT SO HE COULD DELIVER NEEDED PARTS FOR A MACHINE THAT WAS TO BE USED IN A PUBLICLY ADVERTISED DEMONSTRATION. ADDITIONALLY, HE FELT HE COULD HELP HIS PARTNER COMPLETE THE PROJECT IN TIME FOR THE DEMONSTRATION. THE PLT ELECTED TO FILE A VFR FLT & THEN DEPARTED AS PLANNED. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED WX & SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED. JUST BEFORE IMPACT, THE ACFT WAS SEEN SPIRALING AFTER IT CAME OUT OF A LOW OVERCAST WITH NO RIGHT WING OR TAIL SECTION. AFTER THE PLANE CRASHED, A WITNESS SAW THE RIGHT WING 'DRIFTING DOWN.' AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT BOTH HORIZONTAL STABILATORS FAILED FROM POSITIVE AIRLOADS & THE RIGHT OUTBOARD WING SECTION FAILED FROM NEGATIVE AIRLOADS. NO EVIDENCE FOUND OF A MALFUNCTION/FAILURE BEFORE INFLT BREAKUP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/16/1983
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City BURNS
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 82053
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 5
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 1948 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID CYS
Elevation of weather observation facility 6156
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 300
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) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 6415
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 --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22378
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N33066
NTSB Number DEN83FA114
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7535115
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 75
Airframe Hours 4175
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STOUFFER FLYING SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 1 BOX 187B
Aircraft Owner City HAYS
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67601
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 Yes - certificate holder
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 HYS
Departure City HAYS
Departure State KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 4113
Destination City CHESTER
Destination State MT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --