Piper PA-24-250 N5145P
12 August 1991 · Guide Rock, Nebraska, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 12 August 1991 at about 17:41 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N5145P, operated by Thomas K. Phelps, was involved in an accident near Guide Rock, Nebraska, 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 17:41
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Guide Rock, Nebraska, United States
- Coordinates
- 40.0706, -98.3208
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250
- Registration
- N5145P
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Thomas K. Phelps
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Spearfish → Fayetteville
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CHI91FA259
People
2 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, AND EXCEEDING THE DESIGN LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT ARE INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING, VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC, FLIGHT WEATHER AVOIDANCE ASSISTANCE NOT FOLLOWED, EXCESSIVE ALTITUDE, PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT (ANOXIA/HYPOXIA), AND LACK OF TOTAL INSTRUMENT TIME.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT WHO WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED WAS TRYING TO REMAIN VFR ON TOP WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED IMC AT 17,500 FEET. AIRCRAFT ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AFTER THE PILOT TRIED TO MANEUVER TO REMAIN IN VMC. THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT DURING DESCENT. THE PILOT WAS ABOVE 14,000 FEET FOR ONE HOUR. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT OXYGEN EQUIPPED, AND NO EVIDENCE OF PORTABLE OXYGEN WAS FOUND. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF A PRELFIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING. THE PILOT GOT AN INFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING 1.5 HOURS BEFORE THE CRASH IN WHICH VFR WAS NOT RECOMMENDED, AND A ROUTE OF FLIGHT TO AVOID THE WEATHER WAS SUGGESTED. A SECOND INFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING WAS OBSTAINED 20 MINUTES BEORE THE CRASH IN WHICH A ROUTE OF FLIGHT TO AVOID THE WEATHER WAS AGAIN SUGGESTED. PILOT CONTINUED UNTIL HE WAS IMC.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-24 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Oct 1991 | Piper PA-24-250 | Ellicott, Colorado, United States | Southwest Aircraft Recovery | Minor injuries | - |
| 3 Feb 1991 | Piper PA-24-260 | Cordele, Georgia, United States | Carter, Richard C. | Fatal | 3 |
| 30 Mar 1991 | Piper PA-24-250 | Franklin, Tennessee, United States | Hannasch, Thomas P. | Fatal | 1 |
| 12 Nov 1991 | Piper PA-24-260 | Charles City, Iowa, United States | Culbert Aeronautics | No injuries | - |
| 1 Dec 1991 | Piper PA-24-180 | Sandston, Virginia, United States | Michael Kroll | Serious injuries | - |
| 15 Sep 1991 | Piper PA-24-260 | Tehachapi, California, United States | James W. Hager | No injuries | - |
All 2,700 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Apr 1991 | Aeronca 7EC | O'neill, Nebraska, United States | Roger A. Ralston | No injuries | - |
| 25 Feb 1991 | Cessna 172N | Western, Nebraska, United States | Dalen R. Kniep | Fatal | 1 |
| 20 Apr 1991 | Fagerberg LONGEZE | Wahoo, Nebraska, United States | John R. Fagerberg | No injuries | - |
| 20 Jun 1991 | Grumman G-164-A | Edgar, Nebraska, United States | James W. Wehrman | No injuries | - |
| 1 Aug 1991 | Cessna T188C | Grand Island, Nebraska, United States | Muckel's | No injuries | - |
| 7 Aug 1991 | McDonnell Douglas 269A | Harvard, Nebraska, United States | Jims Agri Air | No injuries | - |