Piper PA-31T N515WB

Summary

On 2 December 1993 at about 18:41 local time, a Piper PA-31T registered N515WB was involved in an accident near Norwich, Ohio, 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

2 December 1993 at 18:41

Classification

Accident

Location

Norwich, Ohio, United States

Coordinates

40.0310, -83.1406

Aircraft

Piper PA-31T

Registration

N515WB

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Easton → Des Moines

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC94FA028

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON, AND SUBSEQUENT FLIGHT THAT EXCEEDED THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRPLANE, WHICH RESULTED IN AN IN-FLIGHT AIRFRAME BREAKUP.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

EN ROUTE AT FL 240, THE PLANE ENTERED A LEFT SPIRALING DESCENT & SUBSEQUENTLY EXPERIENCED AN INFLIGHT BREAK-UP AT 7000' WITH SEPARATION OF OUTBOARD WINGS, TAIL SECTIONS & INTERNAL VINYL FROM THE NOSE BAGGAGE DOOR. THERE WAS NO DISTRESS CALL. WITNESSES HEARD THE ENGINES & AN EXPLOSIVE SOUND, THEN THEY SAW THE PLANE IN A SPIN, TRAILED BY FALLING DEBRIS. DEBRIS WAS STREWN OVER A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 3.5 MI. LIGHT WEIGHT PIECES INCLUDING VINYL FROM THE BAGGAGE DOOR, WING SKIN, & TAIL SKIN PIECES WERE AMONG THE 1ST DEBRIS ON THE WRECKAGE PATH. TAIL SECTIONS WERE FOUND ABOUT 2.5 MI FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE WITH EVIDENCE OF OVERLOAD FAILURE; PIECES OF THE WINGS WERE FOUND WITH EVIDENCE OF DOWNWARD/OVERLOAD SEP- ARATION. NO PREEXISTING AIRFRAME FAILURE WAS FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE LED TO LOSS OF CONTROL, INFLIGHT BREAKUP, LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION OR HYPOXIA. THE PLANE WAS INACTIVE FOR ABOUT 2 YRS BEFORE BEING PURCHASED 2 MONTHS BEFORE ACCIDENT. LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS ON 6/8/92. ICING WAS FORECAST FROM 9000' TO 17,000'MSL; TURBULENCE WAS FORECAST BELOW 8000' MSL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.