- Date
- April 26, 2015, 17:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Gatlinburg, TN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2269MPiper PA 32R-300
- Defining event
- Enroute-descent: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 9, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Piper Aircraft, Nashville FSDO (FAA)
- FAA report
- 20150426004529A
- Case key
- 91094
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
The pilot's encounter with extreme turbulence during descent over mountainous terrain, which resulted in a loss of control, and structural damage in flight.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
During a cross-country flight under instrument flight rules (IFR) the pilot was cleared from 9,000ft to 7,000ft over mountainous terrain. In the descent, the pilot reported encountering instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and extreme turbulence which caused a loss of control resulting in inverted flight. The pilot was able to recover from the loss of control, but was unable to recall how he recovered. After the upset and recovery, the pilot landed without further incident. According to information obtained from a Safety Board meteorology specialist, weather data displayed a band of clouds in the immediate vicinity of the upset location associated with mountain wave activity and locally generated turbulence. Another aircraft in the immediate vicinity also reported an encounter of moderate-to-severe turbulence prior to the event. There were no AIRMETs or SIGMETs in effect in the area where the turbulence was encountered. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. During a post-flight inspection, both wings were substantially damaged after wrinkling and tearing was found.
Factual narrative
During a cross-country flight under instrument flight rules (IFR) the pilot was cleared from 9,000ft to 7,000ft over mountainous terrain. In the descent, the pilot reported encountering instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and extreme turbulence which caused a loss of control resulting in inverted flight. The pilot was able to recover from the loss of control, but was unable to recall how he recovered. After the upset and recovery, the pilot landed without further incident. According to information obtained from a Safety Board meteorology specialist, weather data displayed a band of clouds in the immediate vicinity of the upset location associated with mountain wave activity and locally generated turbulence. Another aircraft in the immediate vicinity also reported an encounter of moderate-to-severe turbulence prior to the event. There were no AIRMETs or SIGMETs in effect in the area where the turbulence was encountered. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. During a post-flight inspection, both wings were substantially damaged after wrinkling and tearing was found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2269M
- Reported as
- Piper PA 32R-300 (300)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-7880060
- Built
- 1977
- Airframe hours
- 3,849
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 9, 2015
- Departed
- HXD · Hilton Head, SC
- Destination
- DKX · Knoxville, TN
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot
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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 3, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 415 total · 210 in this make and model · 359 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.73 inHg
- Turbulence
- Extreme
- Observed at
- TVS, 11 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 3, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.7 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.