DEN03LA095

The airplane sustained substantial damage when it encountered hail while in cruise flight. Halfway through the flight, Denver Center advised the pilot "that [his] intersection was closed due to weather" and they changed his route. The flight was at 29,000 feet and was cleared to descend to 27,000 feet. The pilot asked center how long he would be in the rain. The controller replied you should be out of the rain in about 1 or 2 minutes. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft encountered "severe hail, lightning, and turbulence." Weather radar indicated this route of flight passed near an area of moderate thunderstorm activity. The pilot continued to his destination and landed without further incident.

On May 31, 2003, approximately 1700 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 425, N425SG, was substantially damaged when it encountered hail while in cruise flight, 30 miles northwest of Pueblo, Colorado. The private pilot and his two passengers were not injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight departed Page, Arizona, at 1600 and was flying under an IFR flight plan, en-route to Centennial Airport (APA), Englewood, Colorado.

According to the pilot, his original route of flight was from Page, direct to Larks intersection (just west of APA), direct APA. Halfway through the flight, Denver Center advised the pilot "that Larks intersection was closed due to weather." According to the pilot, the flight was then cleared "direct Alamosa, direct Pueblo, direct Black Forest VOR, direct Falcon VOR, direct APA." The pilot stated just east of Alamosa, Denver Center cleared the flight: "direct Fishr intersection, direct Black Forest VOR, direct Falcon VOR, direct APA." The flight was at 29,000 feet and was cleared to descend to 27,000 feet. Approximately 30 miles southwest of Pueblo, the pilot asked Denver Center how long he would be in the rain. The controller replied that the radar information "may or may not be accurate, you'd be out of that in a couple of minutes." According to the pilot, shortly thereafter, the aircraft encountered "severe hail, lightning, and turbulence." Weather radar indicated this route of flight passed near an area of moderate thunderstorm activity.

The pilot continued to his destination and landed without further incident. Postflight examination of the airplane revealed damage to the leading edge of the wings, horizontal and vertical stabilizers, exhaust stacks and radome. The mechanic that evaluated the damage said that the airplane required major repair.