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NTSB Report
May 30, 1983 · Piper PA-28-180 · N5170S
Haskell, TX
Overview
Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
May 30, 1983
Injury Outcomes
5 injuries (5 fatalities)
Location
Haskell, TX
Aircraft
Piper PA-28-180
Tail Number
N5170S
Operator
Roy Williams
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
FTW83FA254
THE ACFT CRASHED WHILE ON A FLT IN AN AREA WHERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS WERE IN EFFECT. THERE WERE NO KNOWN WITNESSES TO THE ACTUAL CRASH, BUT 2 OR 3 LOCAL RESIDENTS HEARD AN ACFT ENG AT ABOUT THE ESTIMATED TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ONE RESIDENT ABOUT 1/4 MI FROM THE CRASH SITE STATED THAT HE HEARD THE ENG APRX 5 MIN AFTER A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM BEGAN. HE STATED THAT ABOUT 2 INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN 20 MIN, VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED & THERE WAS 'VERY HI WINDS.' A LOCAL RADIO STATION AT HASKELL, TX RECORDED WINDS OF 54 MPH DURING THE THUNDERSTORM. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ACFT'S RIGHT WING & BOTH HORIZONTAL STABILATORS HAD SEPARATED IN FLT, THEN THE ACFT CRASHED IN A 70 TO 80 DEG NOSE DOWN, INVERTED, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE WHILE AT A HI RATE OF SPEED. THE WING & STABILATOR FAILURES WERE INDICATIVE OF OVERLOAD SEPARATION. ONE OF THE 5 OCCUPANTS IN THE 4 PLACE ACFT WAS A BABY.
Full Narrative
THE ACFT CRASHED WHILE ON A FLT IN AN AREA WHERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS WERE IN EFFECT. THERE WERE NO KNOWN WITNESSES TO THE ACTUAL CRASH, BUT 2 OR 3 LOCAL RESIDENTS HEARD AN ACFT ENG AT ABOUT THE ESTIMATED TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ONE RESIDENT ABOUT 1/4 MI FROM THE CRASH SITE STATED THAT HE HEARD THE ENG APRX 5 MIN AFTER A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM BEGAN. HE STATED THAT ABOUT 2 INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN 20 MIN, VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED & THERE WAS 'VERY HI WINDS.' A LOCAL RADIO STATION AT HASKELL, TX RECORDED WINDS OF 54 MPH DURING THE THUNDERSTORM. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ACFT'S RIGHT WING & BOTH HORIZONTAL STABILATORS HAD SEPARATED IN FLT, THEN THE ACFT CRASHED IN A 70 TO 80 DEG NOSE DOWN, INVERTED, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE WHILE AT A HI RATE OF SPEED. THE WING & STABILATOR FAILURES WERE INDICATIVE OF OVERLOAD SEPARATION. ONE OF THE 5 OCCUPANTS IN THE 4 PLACE ACFT WAS A BABY.
Flight
Event TypeAccident
Event Time17:00 CDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo
Aircraft
AircraftPiper PA-28-180
Tail NumberN5170S
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorRoy Williams
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-360-A4A · Reciprocating · 180
Seats4
People & Injuries
Injury Summary5 injuries (5 fatalities)
Fatal5
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total5
Crew 1Age 45 · Unknown
Conditions
ConditionsIMC
LightDaylight
Wind54 kt
Ceiling30 ft
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Observation Time17:00
Weather SourceWIT