What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On December 15, 1998, approximately 1639 mountain standard time, a Piper malibu PA-46-350P, N9255B sustained substantial damage during an encounter with turbulence during descent near Granby, Colorado. The airline transport rated pilot and his three passengers were not injured. The airplane was being operated by 101 jet aviation, inc. of englewood, Colorado under title 14 CFR part 135. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this charter cross-country flight which originated from Idaho falls, Idaho, approximately 1 hour 24 minutes before the accident. An IFR flight plan had been filed. According to the pilot, "the flight had been uneventful to that point." He said that "he felt the nose tuck a little and then wham--they hit severe-extreme turbulence." The pilot said that he noticed a wrinkle in the left wing skin approximately 5 to 8 feet out from the fuselage. Initial assessment of the damage indicates that both wings will need to be replace.
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON DECEMBER 15, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 1639 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER MALIBU PA-46-350P, N9255B SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN ENCOUNTER WITH TURBULENCE DURING DESCENT NEAR GRANBY, COLORADO. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED PILOT AND HIS THREE PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED BY 101 JET AVIATION, INC. OF ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 135. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THIS CHARTER CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT WHICH ORIGINATED FROM IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO, APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR 24 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, "THE FLIGHT HAD BEEN UNEVENTFUL TO THAT POINT." HE SAID THAT "HE FELT THE NOSE TUCK A LITTLE AND THEN WHAM--THEY HIT SEVERE-EXTREME TURBULENCE." THE PILOT SAID THAT HE NOTICED A WRINKLE IN THE LEFT WING SKIN APPROXIMATELY 5 TO 8 FEET OUT FROM THE FUSELAGE. INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF THE DAMAGE INDICATES THAT BOTH WINGS WILL NEED TO BE REPLACE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.