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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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June 29, 1986 · Piper PA-28-236 · N100WX

Townsend, MT

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
June 29, 1986
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Townsend, MT
Aircraft
Piper PA-28-236
Tail Number
N100WX
Operator
Jack D Bunn
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
DEN86FA181

ON 6/26/86, THE PLT & HIS WIFE HAD FLOWN FROM HELENA, MT. TO POWELL, WY, TO VISIT FAMILY & RELATIVES. ON THE DAY OF THE ACDNT, HE HAD CONSUMED ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. DESPITE PLEAS FM HIS WIFE NOT TO RETURN TO HELENA THAT EVENING, HE ELECTED TO FLY BACK. WHILE EN ROUTE, THERE WAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE ACFT; THE WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER A 1460' AREA.THE RGT WING & BOTH STABILATORS WERE FOUND APRX 750' FM THE MAIN WRECKAGE WITH EVIDENCE OF OVERLOAD FAILURE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF UPWARD DEFORMATION/FAILURE OF WINGS & DOWNWARD FAILURE OF THE STABILATORS. CAMPERS NEAR THE CRASH SITE RPRTDA MOONLESS, CLOUDY NGT WITH THUNDER & LIGHTNING IN THE AREA, BUT NO RAIN. APRX 60 MI WEST AT HELENA, THE 2350 MDT WX WAS, IN PART: 6500' OVERCAST, VIS 15 MI. ELEV OF THE CRASH SITE WAS APRX 6000'; ELEV OF THE WX STN WAS 3873'. THE PLT HAD ONLY 6 HRS OF NGT FLYING TIME (LAST NGT FLT WAS LOGGED ON 6/29/83) & ONLY 2.8 HRS OF INSTRUMENT TIME (LAST LOGGED ON 7/16/82). A CHECK OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.115%.

Full Narrative

ON 6/26/86, THE PLT & HIS WIFE HAD FLOWN FROM HELENA, MT. TO POWELL, WY, TO VISIT FAMILY & RELATIVES. ON THE DAY OF THE ACDNT, HE HAD CONSUMED ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. DESPITE PLEAS FM HIS WIFE NOT TO RETURN TO HELENA THAT EVENING, HE ELECTED TO FLY BACK. WHILE EN ROUTE, THERE WAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE ACFT; THE WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER A 1460' AREA.THE RGT WING & BOTH STABILATORS WERE FOUND APRX 750' FM THE MAIN WRECKAGE WITH EVIDENCE OF OVERLOAD FAILURE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF UPWARD DEFORMATION/FAILURE OF WINGS & DOWNWARD FAILURE OF THE STABILATORS. CAMPERS NEAR THE CRASH SITE RPRTDA MOONLESS, CLOUDY NGT WITH THUNDER & LIGHTNING IN THE AREA, BUT NO RAIN. APRX 60 MI WEST AT HELENA, THE 2350 MDT WX WAS, IN PART: 6500' OVERCAST, VIS 15 MI. ELEV OF THE CRASH SITE WAS APRX 6000'; ELEV OF THE WX STN WAS 3873'. THE PLT HAD ONLY 6 HRS OF NGT FLYING TIME (LAST NGT FLT WAS LOGGED ON 6/29/83) & ONLY 2.8 HRS OF INSTRUMENT TIME (LAST LOGGED ON 7/16/82). A CHECK OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.115%.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time23:45 MDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-28-236
Tail NumberN100WX
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorJack D Bunn
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-540-J3A5D · Reciprocating · 235
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 54 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDark Night
Wind190° @ 5 kt
Visibility15 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point61 F / 57
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time05:50
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data