Piper PA-23-250 N6078Y

Summary

On 7 November 1990 at about 17:40 local time, a Piper PA-23-250 registered N6078Y, operated by Parson, ROY G., was involved in an accident near Abilene, Texas, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 November 1990 at 17:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Abilene, Texas, United States

Coordinates

32.3391, -99.6695

Aircraft

Piper PA-23-250

Registration

N6078Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Parson, ROY G.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Abilene → Fort Scott

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN91LA018

Nobody was injured.

AN IN FLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH TURBULENCE. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE AIRCRAFT PREFLIGHT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE IFR FLIGHT DEPARTED INTO OVERCAST CONDITIONS AND CLIMBED TO 4000 FEET MSL. THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE AND THE PLANE ENTERED A 3000 FOOT PER MINUTE RATE OF DESCENT. THE RIGHT PASSENGER DOOR AND THE LEFT EMERGENCY EXIT SEPARATED FROM THE PLANE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT ENGINE NACELLE AND WING SURFACE. THE PILOT PULLED UP ABRUPTLY AND LEVELED THE WINGS. THE PLANE 'BROKE OUT' AT 2,500 MSL FEET, WITH WINGS LEVEL AND 'UNDER CONTROL.' ELECTRIC POWER WAS OFF AND THE PILOT FLEW BACK TO THE AIRPORT, LANDED, AND TAXIED TO PARKING WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE RIGHT WING WAS CRUSHED AT THE ENGINE NACELLE, THE NACELLE WAS DENTED, BOTH WINGS WERE DISTORTED AND WRINKLED ON UPPER AND LOWER SURFACES. THE PILOT THOUGHT THE DOOR PROBABLY WAS NOT FULLY LATCHED DURING THE FLIGHT AND THE TURBULENCE MADE HIS LEG HIT THE MASTER SWITCH, TURNING OFF THE POWER. THE AREA FORECAST WARNED OF MODERATE TURBULENCE BELOW 10,000 FEET.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.