Piper PA-28-201T N3966M

Summary

On 23 November 1995 at about 15:00 local time, a Piper PA-28-201T registered N3966M was involved in an accident near Belvidere, South Dakota, 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

23 November 1995 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Belvidere, South Dakota, United States

Coordinates

43.8309, -101.2692

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-201T

Registration

N3966M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sioux Falls → Rapid City

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI96FA038

4 people died.

the pilot's attempted visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, his failure to maintain control of the airplane, and exceeding the design stress limits of the airplane. Factors in the accident were: the snow and fog, and the aft airplane center of gravity.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a weather briefing, the pilot was advised that 'the forecast across South Dakota for the eastern third of the state 2,500 AGL scattered to broken with 5,000 overcast with occasional visibilities three to five miles in light snow....' During the flight the airplane experienced an in-flight breakup. The wings were fractured at the roots with evidence of positive overload. The empennage was separated from the tail cone with evidence of torsional overload. According to local residents, 'low' visibility existed in the vicinity of the accident due to fog and blowing snow. Airplane weight and balance calculations indicate the center of gravity was beyond the aft center of gravity limit. Toxicological tests detected dextromethorphan in the liver fliud (0.009 ug/ml) and kidney fluid (0.007 ug/ml). Pseudoephedrine was also detected in liver fluid. Additionally, a substance was detected, but not quantified, which according to the manager of the FAA Toxicology and Accident Research Laboratory 'appears to be an ergotamine type compound.' Examination of the pilot's personal medical records revealed medical treatment for an 'asthma flare' 17 days prior to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.