DEN91LA018

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-23-250 · Abilene, TX · November 7, 1990

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
November 7, 1990, 11:40 local (17:40 UTC)
Place
Abilene, TX
Injuries
3 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N6078YPiper PA-23-250
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 2, 1992
Report
Approved by Office Director
Case key
18055

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

An in flight encounter with turbulence. Factors were the pilot's inadequate aircraft preflight.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

In flight encounter with weatherClimb - to cruise
Weather condition - turbulence(thunderstorms)Factor
Flight into known adverse weather - initiatedPilot in commandFactor
Altitude deviation,uncontrolledDescent - uncontrolled
Door,passenger - separation
Door,emergency exit - separation
Aircraft preflight - inadequatePilot in commandCause

Analysis

The IFR flight departed into overcast conditions and climbed to 4000 feet MSL. The flight encountered severe turbulence and the plane entered a 3000 foot per minute rate of descent. The right passenger door and the left emergency exit separated from the plane, causing damage to the right engine nacelle and wing surface. The pilot pulled up abruptly and leveled the wings. The plane 'broke out' at 2,500 MSL feet, with wings level and 'under control.' Electric power was off and the pilot flew back to the airport, landed, and taxied to parking without further incident. The right wing was crushed at the engine nacelle, the nacelle was dented, both wings were distorted and wrinkled on upper and lower surfaces. The pilot thought the door probably was not fully latched during the flight and the turbulence made his leg hit the master switch, turning off the power. The area forecast warned of moderate turbulence below 10,000 feet.

Aircraft

Registration
N6078Y
Reported as
Piper PA-23-250
Category
Airplane
Serial number
27-3279
Engine
Lycoming IO-520-C4B5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Parson, Roy G.
Departed
ABI · Abilene, TX
Destination
FSK · Fort Scott, KS
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
NONE

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
52
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Flight hours
1,200 total · 200 in this make and model · 1,100 as pilot in command

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Wind
360° at 15 knots
Visibility
3 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
800 ft overcast
Temperature
-0 °F, dew point -0 °F