Piper PA-24-260 N9324P

Summary

On 17 July 1996 at about 21:15 local time, a Piper PA-24-260 registered N9324P, operated by Leroy M. Leale, was involved in an accident near Tennant, California, 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 July 1996 at 21:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Tennant, California, United States

Coordinates

41.8896, -121.7404

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-260

Registration

N9324P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Leroy M. Leale

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Reid Hillview → Sister

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX96FA275

2 people died.

the pilot's continued flight into known adverse weather conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed San Jose, California, on a cross-country flight to Sisters, Oregon. He obtained a standard preflight weather briefing. Visual flight was not recommended. Cumulus buildups were reported to the pilot. The pilot indicated that he may be overflying the cloud tops. He did not file a flight plan. The pilot's wife was driving to the same location and they talked by cell phone while en route. When the pilot failed to arrive at the destination a search was started. According to radar data, the aircraft was at 15,400 feet when it started a rapid descent. Radar was lost at 11,800 feet. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft descending near vertically out of broken clouds with the engine at full power. When the aircraft was found, the right outboard wing panel from about station 110 outboard was missing. About a month later the outer wing panel was found. Analysis of the failed structure indicated a positive overload of the wing and the horizontal stabilators.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.