Piper PA-28R-201T N9766K

Summary

On 19 June 1994 at about 20:20 local time, a Piper PA-28R-201T registered N9766K was involved in an accident near Southard, Oklahoma, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 June 1994 at 20:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Southard, Oklahoma, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-201T

Registration

N9766K

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Albuquerque → Tulsa

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW94FA208

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER RESULTING IN THE DESIGN LIMITS OF THE AIRPLANE BEING EXCEEDED. FACTORS WERE THE THUNDERSTORMS AND THE PILOT'S DISREGARD FOR THE FORECASTED ADVERSE WEATHER.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRPLANE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE IN FLIGHT AS THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER THE AIRPLANE UNDER A LINE OF SEVERE CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT. RESIDENTS IN THE AREA REPORTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS WITH WINDS GUSTING TO 50 MPH AND VISIBILITIES AS LOW AS A QUARTER OF A MILE. THE WEATHER BRIEFING PROVIDED TO THE PILOT APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE ADVISED HIM OF THE DEVELOPING AREA OF HEAVY THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AND THE PILOT WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND 3 DAYS LATER DISPERSED FOR OVER A HALF A MILE. THE LEFT WING WAS FOUND AT THE FARTHEST POINT FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE, SEPARATED IN AN UPWARD AND AFT DIRECTION. CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED TO ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.