Piper PA-24-250 N8103P

Summary

On 27 August 1990 at about 02:30 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N8103P, operated by Darrow G. Hudson, was involved in an accident near Salem, Oregon, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 August 1990 at 02:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Salem, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

44.8408, -123.0809

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N8103P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Darrow G. Hudson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Portland → Grass Valley

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA90FA166

2 people died.

THE PILOT ALLOWED THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT TO BE EXCEEDED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT CONCERNED INADVERTENT FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE PLT WAS ADZD OF A CURRENT AIRMET FOR THE AREA WITH PRECAUTIONS FOR OCNL MDT TURBC BELOW 14,000' & MTN OBSCN. OCNL MDT RIME OR MIXED ICING WAS FORECAST FOR THE AREA AS WELL AS RAIN SHOWER ACTIVITY. WHEN THE PLT OPENED A VFR FLT PLAN AFTER TAKEOFF, HE WAS REMINDED OF THE PRECAUTIONS & AIRMET FOR TURBC & ICING. AS THE FLT CONTD, THE PLT ADZD HE WOULD BE CLIMBING TO 11,500' MSL. A FEW MIN LATER, HE ADZD HE WOULD DEVIATE FROM COURSE TO 'REMAIN VFR ON THESE CLOUDS.' THERE WAS NO FURTHER COM WITH THE ACFT. WITNESSES ON THE GND HEARD A LOUD BANG, THEN SAW THE ACFT DSCND BELOW THE CLOUD LAYER IN A SPIRAL WITH PIECES SEPG. WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER A 1/2 AREA. AN EXAM REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT BOTH OUTBOARD SECTIONS OF THE WINGS SEPD UPWARD & REARWARD, WHILE THE HORIZONTAL STABILATOR SEPD DOWNWARD IN FLT. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT VERIFY WHICH MODE OF FLT THE ACFT WAS IN, WHEN THE IN-FLT BREAKUP OCCURRED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.