- Date
- June 26, 1988, 14:47 local (19:47 UTC)
- Place
- Anson, TX
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2889NPiper PA-28-236
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 6, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880626071399A
- Case key
- 22556
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Inadequate weather evaluation-pic; flight into known adverse weather, inadvertent-pic; design stress limits exceeded by PIC; thunderstorm
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
The plt encountered forecast tstms en route. At 1430 CDT, the plt had rptd 2400 ft MSL, climbing to his cruise altitude at 8000 ft. at 1440, the plt requested, and deviation around weather was approved. The plt did not report further difficulty, but loss of control and an in-flight breakup of the acft occurred shortly thereafter. Weather and radar data indicate that the airplane broke up near the edge of a level two thunderstorm. Heavy rain and lightning were reported by local residents. The outboard end of the left wing and the stabilator had separated in-flight. The left wing failed in positive overload. Although the right wing had not separated, it also revealed damage fm high positive loading. The stabilator fractures indicated torsional overload. Both plts held pvt pilot certificates and were instrument-rated.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2889N
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-236
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7911229
- Airframe hours
- 910
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-J3A5D, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Gladys Harr, doing business as Dakotanauts
- Registered owner
- Gladys Harr
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 1987 · 68 hours before
- Departed
- ABI · Abilene, TX
- Destination
- LBB · Lubbock, TX
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 64
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 760 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ABI, 16 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.