- Date
- May 22, 1987, 22:54 local (May 23, 1987, 03:54 UTC)
- Place
- Porter, OK
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N81796Piper PA-32R-301
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report November 8, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870522015529A
- Case key
- 22246
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
Analysis
Acft was observed in a rt bank when it experienced an inflt breakup. Both wings, vert stab and rudder, and the horz stab and trim tab separated prior to impact. Wx was dark night with scattered to broken cloud cover, but VFR. Although a wx rpt 33 NM northwest of the site listed the wx as 10,000 sct, 25,000 ovc, a ground witness stated that it was cloudy, but that he could see some stars between the clouds. The non-instrument rated pvt plt, who had checked out in the acft that day, had been restricted from night flight due to non-compliance with FAR 61.109 (minimum night time) when he received his pvt cert. Instructor had warned him not to attempt to fly solo at night. All separation fractures were overstress. Rt wing was struck by the lft wing after it separated in a negative manner. Plt had 2 hrs dual night logged several months prior to the accident and about 45 mins solo on the accident flt.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N81796
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32R-301
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-8013081
- Airframe hours
- 1,190
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-520-K1G5D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Dr. J. C. Rogers
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 1, 1987 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- OK33 · Afton, OK
- Destination
- HAX · Muskogee, OK
- Airport
- HAX · Hatbox
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
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 250 total · 8 in this make and model · 100 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 50° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TUL, 28 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.