20121215026719A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-31T1 · Ely, NV · December 15, 2012

Date: December 15, 2012 · 10:00 local
Place: Ely, NV
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N93CN
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR13FA070
Reported as: Piper PA-31T1
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,345 total2,484 in this make and model18 in the last 90 days

N93CNRegistration cancelled Mar 20, 2013 · Piper PA-31T1S/N 31T-8004029 Airframe modelPiper PA-31T1

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

While at FL240, heading at 320 degrees the aircraft experienced a rapid decent estimated at 10,000 feet per minute descent rate with a subsequent right bank. While descending, the aircraft appeared to break apart losing the outboard section of the left wing, vertical stabilizer, rudder, right and left horizontal stabilizers and both elevators. During the decent both wing tip fuel tanks departed the wings before impacting the ground inverted on an approximate heading of 285 degrees. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, producing two (2) fatalities.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE AT FL240, HEADING AT 320 DEGREES THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A RAPID DECENT ESTIMATED AT 10,000 FEET PER MINUTE DESCENT RATE WITH A SUBSEQUENT RIGHT BANK. WHILE DESCENDING, THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BREAK APART LOSING THE OUTBOARD SECTION OF THE LEFT WING, VERTICAL STABILIZER, RUDDER, RIGHT AND LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS AND BOTH ELEVATORS. DURING THE DECENT BOTH WING TIP FUEL TANKS DEPARTED THE WINGS BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND INVERTED ON AN APPROXIMATE HEADING OF 285 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, PRODUCING TWO (2) FATALITIES.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR13FA070Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportEly, NVThe pilot’s failure to regain airplane control following a sudden rapid descent during cruise flight, which resulted in an exceedance of the design stress limits of the aircraft and led to an in-flight structural failure.Dec 15, 2012 · Destroyed

Other reports on N93CN · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20070906020229ILevel Off Touchdown · Portland, OR(-23) Pilot attempted to land on runway 25, was blinded by sun glare and lost sight of the runway, then touched down between runway and taxiway.Sep 6, 2007 · Minor damage Incident 19970216001649ILevel Off Touchdown · Portland, ORNarrative: N93CN was enroute from sunriver, OR to Hillsboro, OR. During final approach while conducting an ILS runway 12 approach, N93CN was cleared to land. N93CN landed on runway 12 with the landing gear in the stowed up position. The pilot attempted to…Feb 16, 1997 · Minor damage