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April 14, 1988 · Piper PA-28-161 · N3850M

Milford, UT

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
April 14, 1988
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Milford, UT
Aircraft
Piper PA-28-161
Tail Number
N3850M
Operator
Sypherd Shawn D
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
DEN88FA096

THE PLT (WITH A RECENT INSTRUMENT RATING) RCVD A WX BRIEFING FM CEDAR CITY (CDC) FSS & FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN FM PROVO (PVU) TO ST GEORGE (SGU). CURRENT SGU WX WASN'T AVAILABLE, BUT WX FOR CDC (ABT 45 MI NNE) WAS PROVIDED. THE PLT WAS ADZDOF MOIST UNSTABLE AIR, RAIN, OBSCURED MTNS & CUMULUS CLOUDS ALONG THE ROUTE. ALSO, HE WAS ADZD OF A PIREP CONCERNING AN ENCTR WITH CLR ICG NR CDC AT 13,000'. APCHG MILFORD AT 11,000', THE PILOT CALLED CDC FSS & RCVD A WX UPDATE. CURRENT SGU WX WAS STILL NOT AVAILABLE, BUT HE WAS ADZD OF THUNDERSTORMS EN ROUTE. HE RETURNED TO ARTCC FREQ, GOT CLNC TO DESCEND TO 10,000', THEN TO CLIMB TO 12,000'. SOON THEREAFTER, RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT BROKE UP IN FLT (WINGS & STABILIZERS SEPD) & WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER A 1-1/4 MI AREA. NO PRE-ACCIDENT CRACKS OR FATIGUE WAS FOUND. AN AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN FLYING INTO A WX CELL. GROUND WITNESSES THEN HEARD AN EXPLOSIVE NOISE AND SAW PARTS OF THE AIRCRAFT FALLING FM THE WX CELL. SOON THEREAFTER, PEA SIZE HAIL FELL FM THE CLOUD.

Full Narrative

THE PLT (WITH A RECENT INSTRUMENT RATING) RCVD A WX BRIEFING FM CEDAR CITY (CDC) FSS & FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN FM PROVO (PVU) TO ST GEORGE (SGU). CURRENT SGU WX WASN'T AVAILABLE, BUT WX FOR CDC (ABT 45 MI NNE) WAS PROVIDED. THE PLT WAS ADZDOF MOIST UNSTABLE AIR, RAIN, OBSCURED MTNS & CUMULUS CLOUDS ALONG THE ROUTE. ALSO, HE WAS ADZD OF A PIREP CONCERNING AN ENCTR WITH CLR ICG NR CDC AT 13,000'. APCHG MILFORD AT 11,000', THE PILOT CALLED CDC FSS & RCVD A WX UPDATE. CURRENT SGU WX WAS STILL NOT AVAILABLE, BUT HE WAS ADZD OF THUNDERSTORMS EN ROUTE. HE RETURNED TO ARTCC FREQ, GOT CLNC TO DESCEND TO 10,000', THEN TO CLIMB TO 12,000'. SOON THEREAFTER, RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT BROKE UP IN FLT (WINGS & STABILIZERS SEPD) & WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER A 1-1/4 MI AREA. NO PRE-ACCIDENT CRACKS OR FATIGUE WAS FOUND. AN AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN FLYING INTO A WX CELL. GROUND WITNESSES THEN HEARD AN EXPLOSIVE NOISE AND SAW PARTS OF THE AIRCRAFT FALLING FM THE WX CELL. SOON THEREAFTER, PEA SIZE HAIL FELL FM THE CLOUD.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time15:26 MDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-28-161
Tail NumberN3850M
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorSypherd Shawn D
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320 · Reciprocating · 160
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 22 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind180° @ 15 kt
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point46 / 0 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Weather SourceWIT

Appendix: Source Data