# Accident 20111219029779A: Piper PA-32-260, Bryan, TX, December 19, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 19, 2011, 21:50 local time
- Place: Bryan, TX
- Airport: Bryan
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.9472° N, 96.2686° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.9472&lon=-96.2686&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3590T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3590T-2017-09-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-260 (registry code 7103206, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-260) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-260
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-540
- People aboard: 5
- Fatal injuries: 5
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 392 total, 398 in this make and model, 55 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN12FA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA108) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20111219029779A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AT APPROXIMATELY 2145 LOCAL TIME, N3590T WAS DIVERTING WEATHER ENROUTE FROM JACKSON, MS. TO WACO, TX.  THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT CARRIED THE AIRCRAFT SOUTH WEST INTO THE VICINITY OF CLL, COLLEGE STATION, TX.  WEATHER ADVISORIES WERE BEING GIVEN BY HOUSTON TRACON (AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL) AS WELL AS PILOTS REPORTED SATALITE (DELAYED) IMAGE DISPLAY (NEX-RAD).DURING THE AIRCRAFT COURSE OF FLIGHT, HOUSTON TRACON CONTACTED THE PILOT DUE TO THE PILOTS UNANNOUNCED CHANGE IN COURSE. TRANSCRIPTIONS OF THE CONVERSATION INDICATED THAT THE PILOT OF N3590T MADE A COURSE CHANGE DIRECTLY INTO A SEVERE STORM PATH, AS INDICATED ON HOUSTON TRACON WEATHER RADAR. THE CONTROLLER CONTACTED N3590T REQUESTING INFORMATION FOR THE COURSE CHANGE AND ADVISED THE PILOT THAT HIS DIRECTION OF FLIGHT WOULD TAKE HIM INTO SEVERE WEATHER. THE CONTROLLER GAVE THE PILOT OF N3590T A COURSE HEADING OF 220 DEGREES AS HIS BEST ROUTE OF FLIGHT OUT OF THE WEATHER.THE PILOT'S RESPONDED THAT HE WAS IN "BAD" WEATHER AND TRYING TO GET OUT OF IT. RADAR AND VOICE CONTACT WERE LOST AT APPROXIMATELY 21:45.FAA RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE AND ARRIVED ON SCENE AT APPROXIMATELY 01:15 ON 01/12/2012. THE SCENE WAS SECURRED BY LOCAL LAW INFORCEMENT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT. FAA WAS BACK ON SCENE AT 09:00 ON 01/12/2012. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BROKEN UP IN FLIGHT. THE MAIN COURSE OF DEBRIS WAS SCATTERED OVER APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE AT A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 210 DEGREES. BOTH AUXILLARY WING TIP FUEL TANKS, THE VERTICAL FIN WITH 3/4 OF THE RUDDER ATTACHED, THE LEFT FLAP AND THE LEFT WING HAD SEPERATED THE AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT. THE MAIN AIRCRAFT WREKAGE WAS LOCATED AT A HEADING OF 180 DEGREES FROM THE MAIN DEBRIS FIELD. ALL 5 SOULS ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT WERE LOCATED WITH THE MAIN WREKAGE.THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED WITH NO SURVIVORS.AT THIS TIME AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS, THE PILOTS WEATHER BRIEF AND THE AIRCRAFT TOTAL TIME ARE UNAVAILABLE. THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED WHEN THIS INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN12FA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA108), Dec 20, 2011: Piper PA-32-260 (N3590T), Bryan, TX, substantial damage, 5 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadvertent encounter with severe weather, which resulted in the airplane’s left wing failing in positive overload. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s reliance on outdated…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.