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NTSB Report
July 11, 1990 · Piper PA-32R-301T PA-32R-301 · N43515
Ashton, IL
Overview
Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 11, 1990
Injury Outcomes
2 injuries (2 fatalities)
Location
Ashton, IL
Aircraft
Piper PA-32R-301T PA-32R-301
Tail Number
N43515
Operator
Executive Protection
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
CHI90FA174
THE FLT ORIGINATED AT 0151 CDT AFTER THE PLT & PSGR HAD SPENT A DAY SIGHTSEEING & ATTENDED A NGT BASEBALL GAME. BEFORE DEPG, THE PLT RCVD A WX BRIEFING & FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN. OVC SKIES WITH CUMULIFORM CLOUDS & RAIN SHOWERS PREVAILED ALONG THE ROUTE. THOUGH THE PLT WAS NOT BRIEFED ABOUT TSTMS, ONLY WIDELY SCATTERED TSTMS WITH MODERATE RAINSHOWERS WERE FORECAST. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT MADE A TRANSMISSION THAT HIS COMPASS WAS 'SWINGING' & THEN CONTACT WITH THE ACFT WAS LOST. SUBSEQUENLTY, AN INFLT BREAKUP OF THE ACFT OCCURRED & WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER A WIDE AREA. RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT THE AIRPLANE MADE RAPID CHANGES IN ALTITUDE BEFORE BREAKING UP. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE SHOWED THAT BOTH WINGS FAILED IN POSITIVE OVERLOAD. THE STABILATOR FAILED DOWN & WAS BENT AFT BEFORE SEPARATING FROM THE ACFT. THE REST OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED BY IMPACT & FIRE.
NTSB Probable Cause
A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON, WHILE EN ROUTE IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) ON A DARK NIGHT, AND THE PILOT EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RECOVER FROM UNCONTROLLED FLIGHT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: PILOT FATIGUE AND PROBABLE SPATIAL DISORIENTATION OF THE PILOT AND/OR AN INSTRUMENT MALFUNCTION.
Full Narrative
THE FLT ORIGINATED AT 0151 CDT AFTER THE PLT & PSGR HAD SPENT A DAY SIGHTSEEING & ATTENDED A NGT BASEBALL GAME. BEFORE DEPG, THE PLT RCVD A WX BRIEFING & FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN. OVC SKIES WITH CUMULIFORM CLOUDS & RAIN SHOWERS PREVAILED ALONG THE ROUTE. THOUGH THE PLT WAS NOT BRIEFED ABOUT TSTMS, ONLY WIDELY SCATTERED TSTMS WITH MODERATE RAINSHOWERS WERE FORECAST. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT MADE A TRANSMISSION THAT HIS COMPASS WAS 'SWINGING' & THEN CONTACT WITH THE ACFT WAS LOST. SUBSEQUENLTY, AN INFLT BREAKUP OF THE ACFT OCCURRED & WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER A WIDE AREA. RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT THE AIRPLANE MADE RAPID CHANGES IN ALTITUDE BEFORE BREAKING UP. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE SHOWED THAT BOTH WINGS FAILED IN POSITIVE OVERLOAD. THE STABILATOR FAILED DOWN & WAS BENT AFT BEFORE SEPARATING FROM THE ACFT. THE REST OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED BY IMPACT & FIRE.
Flight
Event TypeAccident
Event Time02:21 CDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionNo
Aircraft
AircraftPiper PA-32R-301T PA-32R-301
Tail NumberN43515
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorExecutive Protection
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · TIO-540-S1AD · Reciprocating · 300
Seats6
People & Injuries
Injury Summary2 injuries (2 fatalities)
Fatal2
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total2
Crew 1Age 41 · Second Class
Conditions
ConditionsUnknown
LightDark Night
WindCalm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourceWIT