Piper PA-32-301T N83211
24 May 1997 · Bend, Oregon, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 24 May 1997 at about 19:20 local time, a Piper PA-32-301T registered N83211, operated by Suzanne A Isaacs, was involved in an accident near Bend, Oregon, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 19:20
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Bend, Oregon, United States
- Coordinates
- 43.8293, -121.4896
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301T
- Registration
- N83211
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Suzanne A Isaacs
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Concord → Redmond
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- SEA97FA120
People
2 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
Overload of the airframe structure. Thunderstorms and turbulence were factors.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The last radio communications from the pilot indicated that they were in instrument meteorological conditions and experiencing updrafts and picking up ice on the structure. Widely scattered thunderstorms and rain were reported in the area. Light to occasional moderate rime and mixed icing in the precipitation was reported from the freezing level to 12,000 feet. Moderate turbulence was reported for the entire state. Witnesses on the ground heard the sound of the engine but could not see the airplane. The witnesses reported that a 'pretty nasty looking cloud' with the sounds of thunder was in the area when they heard a sound similar to a sonic boom. After this sound, the aircraft's engine was no longer heard. Evidence at the accident site indicated that the aircraft broke-up in flight. The left wing separated at the root, the right wing separated about 109 inches from the root. Both the horizontal stabilizers and the vertical stabilizer separated from the empennage. Metallurgical examination of the fractured components were typical of overstress separations. Both the wings and the horizontal stabilator failed in a downward loading condition.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-32 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Jun 1997 | Piper PA-32-300T | Del Norte, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 23 Oct 1997 | Piper PA-32-300 | Juneau, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 28 Sep 1997 | Piper PA-32-300 | Stuart Island, Washington, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Mar 1997 | Piper PA-32-260 | Lincoln Park, New Jersey, United States | Walter C Corocco | Minor injuries | - |
| 9 Apr 1997 | Piper PA-32-300 | Vincentown, New Jersey, United States | Carl J. Mikuletzky | No injuries | - |
| 16 Apr 1997 | Piper PA-32-300 | Belmar, New Jersey, United States | - | No injuries | - |
All 1,695 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Dec 1997 | Boeing 737-522 | Eugene, Oregon, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 18 Oct 1997 | Beechcraft V-35 | Medford, Oregon, United States | Robert R. Francis | Serious injuries | - |
| 23 Oct 1997 | Cessna 185A | Damascus, Oregon, United States | Roger C. Snyder | Fatal | 2 |
| 26 Oct 1997 | Beckham RV-4 | Scio, Oregon, United States | Hatch, Everett, W. | Fatal | 1 |
| 7 Nov 1997 | Aerostar PA-60-700P | Portland, Oregon, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 8 Nov 1997 | Bell 206B | Forest Grove, Oregon, United States | - | No injuries | - |