What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On March 24, 2002, approximately 1930 CST, a Beech F35 single-engine airplane, N4257B, was substantially damaged during an encounter with turbulence while in cruise flight near amarillo, TX. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 CFR part 91 personal flight. The flight departed clovis, NM, approx. 1830, and was destined for borger, Texas. The pilot reported that while in level cruise flight at 140 knots indicated airspeed, at an altitude of 5,500 feet MSL., the airplane encountered "clear air turbulence." The aircraft attitude "was suddenly thrust nose high and vertical." The pilot, "without difficulty", recovered the airplane and continued the flight to his intended destination. While tying down the airplane on the ramp in borger, teh pilot noticed damage to the empennage section. The NTSB was notified of the damage to the airplane on April 23, 2002. An inspection revealed that the aircraft fuselage skin was wrinkled between fuselage stations 233.0 and 256.0. Approx. 8" of the lower skin was torn out from the rivets. The wichita aco participated in the investigation and is following up with a trend analysis.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MARCH 24, 2002, APPROXIMATELY 1930 CST, A BEECH F35 SINGLE-ENGINE AIRPLANE, N4257B, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING AN ENCOUNTER WITH TURBULENCE WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT NEAR AMARILLO, TX. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED CLOVIS, NM, APPROX. 1830, AND WAS DESTINED FOR BORGER, TEXAS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE IN LEVEL CRUISE FLIGHT AT 140 KNOTS INDICATED AIRSPEED, AT AN ALTITUDE OF 5,500 FEET MSL., THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED "CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE." THE AIRCRAFT ATTITUDE "WAS SUDDENLY THRUST NOSE HIGH AND VERTICAL." THE PILOT, "WITHOUT DIFFICULTY", RECOVERED THE AIRPLANE AND CONTINUED THE FLIGHT TO HIS INTENDED DESTINATION. WHILE TYING DOWN THE AIRPLANE ON THE RAMP IN BORGER, TEH PILOT NOTICED DAMAGE TO THE EMPENNAGE SECTION. THE NTSB WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE ON APRIL 23, 2002. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE SKIN WAS WRINKLED BETWEEN FUSELAGE STATIONS 233.0 AND 256.0. APPROX. 8" OF THE LOWER SKIN WAS TORN OUT FROM THE RIVETS. THE WICHITA ACO PARTICIPATED IN THE INVESTIGATION AND IS FOLLOWING UP WITH A TREND ANALYSIS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N4257B · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.