Thocker RV-4 N952JT

Summary

On 17 September 1996 at about 18:55 local time, a Thocker RV-4 registered N952JT was involved in an accident near Muncie, Indiana, 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

17 September 1996 at 18:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Muncie, Indiana, United States

Coordinates

40.1305, -85.3797

Aircraft

Thocker RV-4

Registration

N952JT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI96FA334

2 people died.

was the in-flight disconnection of the horizontal and vertical stabilizer forward attachments.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Two pilots departed in the amateur built airplane for a local flight. About 10 miles from the departure airport, the airplane was observed to descend into the terrain. The activity of the airplane prior to the accident and/or the individual operating the airplane controls at the time was not determined. Subsequent to the accident an examination of the airplane determined that the carry-through portion of the horizontal stabilizer, which included the forward attachment for the vertical stabilizer, had become disconnected in flight. The particular part was not found. The entire right horizontal stabilizer and the outboard half of the right elevator departed the airplane in-flight. The lower rudder attach fitting bolt was missing at the impact site, and there was no evidence that the bolt was in place at the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.