Piper PA-24-250 XBHOM

Summary

On 27 October 1993 at about 15:24 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered XBHOM, operated by Joseph W. Wagner, was involved in an accident near San Simon, Arizona, 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 October 1993 at 15:24

Classification

Accident

Location

San Simon, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

31.9995, -109.2108

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

XBHOM

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Joseph W. Wagner

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

El Paso → Tucson

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX94FA028

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION, AND HIS ALLOWING THE AIRPLANE TO EXCEED ITS DESIGN STRESS LIMITS, WHICH RESULTED IN OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE RIGHT OUTBOARD WIND SECTION AND LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND AN INADEQUATE HAZARDOUS WEATHER ADVISORY CONCERNING THE SEVERE TURBULENCE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

AT O634 MST, THE PILOT FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN & RECEIVED WEATHER INFO FOR A ROUTE FROM EL PASO TO TUCSON. HE WAS ADVIZED OF 2 PIREPS REGARDING SEVERE TURBULENCE IN THE TUCSON AREA & OF AN AIRMET CONCERNING TURBULENCE BELOW 12000 FT. THE PILOT'S TAKEOFF & DEPARTURE APPEARED NORMAL, THEN THERE WAS NO FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH THE AIRPLANE. WHILE EN ROUTE, AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP OF THE AIRCRAFT OCCURRED, BUT THERE WERE NO KNOWN WITNESSES. THE RIGHT OUTBOARD WING PANEL WAS FOUND ABOUT 2/10 MILE FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE WITH EVIDENCE THAT IT HAD FAILED IN POSITIVE (UPWARD) LOADING. THE OUTBOARD 2/3 OF THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER HAD SEPARATED, BUT WAS NOT FOUND; THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT IT HAD FAILED DOWNWARD. A PARK RANGER NOTED THE PRESENCE OF A 'BLACK . . . DOME SHAPED' CLOUD OVER MOUNTAINS ABOUT 5 MI FROM THE CRASH SITE. IT WAS CAPPED WITH ANOTHER SMALLER CLOUD AT A HIGHER ELEVATION. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAD NOT ISSUED AN ADVISORY FOR SEVERE TURBULENCE, ALTHOUGH INFO FOR SUCH DETERMINATION EXISTED BEFORE THE FLIGHT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.