Socata TB 10 N104F

Summary

On 19 September 1993 at about 20:15 local time, a Socata TB 10 registered N104F was involved in an accident near Aguadilla. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 September 1993 at 20:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Aguadilla

Nearest airport

Rafael Hernandez (BQN)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Socata TB 10

Registration

N104F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mayaguez → San Juan

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA93FA198

3 people died.

IN FLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH A LEVEL II THUNDERSTORM AND FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVESE WEATHER BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING WAS NOT OBTAINED BEFORE DEPARTURE. THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS WERE FORECAST. DURING THE FLIGHT AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE AIRPLANE REQUESTED WEATHER ADVISORIES FROM THE UNICOM OPERATOR WHO ADVISED THE CREW OF A THUNDERSTORM NEAR THE AIRPORT. THE FLIGHT PROCEEDED TOWARD THE THUNDERSTORM ACCORDING TO WITNESSES BUT THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE MINUS THE RIGHT WING WAS RECOVERED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT WING SEPARATED NEAR THE WING ROOT AND ABOUT 20 INCHES OUTBOARD OF THE OUTBOARD FUEL SENSOR DUE TO OVERLOAD. THE RIGHT WING FAILED NEAR THE WING ROOT DUE TO OVERLOAD. EXAMINATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY MINUS THE MAGNETOS, AND FUEL PUMP HOUSING REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. NO OCCUPANT HAD AN INSTRUMENT RATING. NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO WHO WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.