# NTSB FTW88FA085: Piper PA-24-260, N8553P, Henrietta, TX, April 1, 1988

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: April 1, 1988, 08:52 local (14:52 UTC)
- Place: Henrietta, TX
- Coordinates: 33.809551, -98.189178 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8096&lon=-98.1892&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed, report January 16, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 22547
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW88FA085
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/22547/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW88FA085

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb
  - planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - self-induced pressure, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - flight into known adverse weather - initiated, pilot in command (cause)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - thunderstorm,level ii (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - unfavorable wind (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - rain
  - weather condition - fog
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

THE PLT WAS GIVEN A PRE-FLT WX BRIEFING BY A FSS BRIEFER. HE RCVD A FULL & THOROUGH BRIEFING, EXCEPT THE BRIEFER DID NOT HAVE AN OPNL WX RADAR SET AVAILABLE. THE PLT WAS ADZD OF A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS (TSTMS) TO THE SOUTHWEST, MOVING EAST AT 20 KTS. HE WAS ALSO GIVEN A PIREP CONCERNING A TSTM 20 MI SOUTH OF WICHITA FALLS (SW OF HENRIETTA), RPRTDLY MOVING NORTH. WITNESSES SAID THE ACFT TOOK OFF DOWNWIND, HAD DIFFICULTY GETTING AIRBORNE, THEN MADE AN ABRUPT RGT TURN INTO A LOW CEILING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, A WITNESS SAW IT COME OUT OF THE CLOUDS & CRASH APRX 1-1/2 MI SOUTHEAST OF THE ARPT. IMPACT OCCURRED IN A STEEP LEFT WING DOWN, SLIGHTLY NOSE LOW, ATTITUDE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FND. A WITNESS SAID THAT JUST BFR TAKEOFF, THERE WAS A HVY DOWNPOUR OF RAIN WITH SMALL HAIL, LIGHTNING & THUNDER. THERE WERE INDCNS THE PLT WAS HURRYING TO DEPART BFR A CLNC VOID TIME OF 0900 CST. HE TOOK OFF ABT 8 MIN BFR THE VOID TIME. ACCORDING TO SPECS, THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR WOULD HAVE NEEDED A 3 MIN SPIN-UP TIME TO ACHIEVE ITS RATED PERFORMANCE.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8553P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8553P-1989-07-19), registration cancelled 1989-07-19, S/N 244010 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24-260
- Registry model: [Piper PA-24-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-260) (registry code 7102406) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 24 4010
- Airframe hours: 3733
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-D4A5 260 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Jeffery W. Pierce
- Registered owner: Pierce, Jeffery W.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 5, 1987, 116 hours before
- Departed: TE10
- Destination: DMN, DEMING, NM
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: NONE, Pierce, runway 8, 1,500 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 1,403 total, 116 in this make and model, 1,309 as pilot in command, 43 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 240° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 400 ft overcast
- Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: SPS, 21 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19880401007459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880401007459A), Apr 1, 1988: Piper PA24260, Henrietta, TX, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Took off in area of low ceilings, heavy rain, thunderstorms. Aircraft came out of clouds near vertical to impact.

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.

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