Piper PA-28-236 N2889N

Summary

On 26 June 1988 at about 19:47 local time, a Piper PA-28-236 registered N2889N, operated by Gladys Harr, was involved in an accident near Anson, Texas, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 June 1988 at 19:47

Classification

Accident

Location

Anson, Texas, United States

Coordinates

32.7495, -99.8903

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-236

Registration

N2889N

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Gladys Harr

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Abilene → Lubbock

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW88FA125

4 people died.

INADEQUATE WEATHER EVALUATION-PIC; FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, INADVERTENT-PIC; DESIGN STRESS LIMITS EXCEEDED BY PIC; THUNDERSTORM

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT ENCOUNTERED FORECAST TSTMS EN ROUTE. AT 1430 CDT, THE PLT HAD RPTD 2400 FT MSL, CLIMBING TO HIS CRUISE ALTITUDE AT 8000 FT. AT 1440, THE PLT REQUESTED, AND DEVIATION AROUND WEATHER WAS APPROVED. THE PLT DID NOT REPORT FURTHER DIFFICULTY, BUT LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP OF THE ACFT OCCURRED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. WEATHER AND RADAR DATA INDICATE THAT THE AIRPLANE BROKE UP NEAR THE EDGE OF A LEVEL TWO THUNDERSTORM. HEAVY RAIN AND LIGHTNING WERE REPORTED BY LOCAL RESIDENTS. THE OUTBOARD END OF THE LEFT WING AND THE STABILATOR HAD SEPARATED IN-FLIGHT. THE LEFT WING FAILED IN POSITIVE OVERLOAD. ALTHOUGH THE RIGHT WING HAD NOT SEPARATED, IT ALSO REVEALED DAMAGE FM HIGH POSITIVE LOADING. THE STABILATOR FRACTURES INDICATED TORSIONAL OVERLOAD. BOTH PLTS HELD PVT PILOT CERTIFICATES AND WERE INSTRUMENT-RATED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.