Piper PA-24-260 N9159P

Summary

On 18 September 1994 at about 22:15 local time, a Piper PA-24-260 registered N9159P, operated by Johnson, JR., Willard W., was involved in an accident near Tennesse Colony, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 September 1994 at 22:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Tennesse Colony, Texas, United States

Coordinates

31.8792, -95.9091

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-260

Registration

N9159P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Johnson, JR., Willard W.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Palestine → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW94FA300

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND THE RESULTANT INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN. A FACTOR WAS THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

WITNESSES REPORTED THE PILOT AND PASSENGER DISCUSSED PRACTICING STALLS. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED MANEUVERING AT AN ALTITUDE OF 3,000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND WHEN WITNESSES HEARD A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AN INCREASE OF ENGINE POWER, FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER PRIOR TO OBSERVING THE AIRPLANE NOSE DOWN AND SPINNING TOWARD THE GROUND. ONE WITNESS DESCRIBED THE AIRPLANE AS TRYING TO 'PULL OUT OF THE MANEUVER BUT RAN OUT OF ALTITUDE AND HIT THE TREES AND GROUND.' ANOTHER WITNESS DESCRIBED THE AIRPLANE AS 'DOING TRICKS' AND 'NOSE DOWN DOING CLOCKWISE SPINS IN TIGHT ROTATION.' THE AIRPLANE THEN 'OPENED UP IN MORE OF A FLAT SPIN LIKE THE NOSE WAS COMING UP.' THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL TO GROUND IMPACT. PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE GROUND THE AIRCRAFT ALSO STRUCK SEVERAL TREES. DURING THE FIELD EXAMINATION THE FUEL FLOW DIVIDER COVER WAS REMOVED TO CHECK FOR FUEL AND NONE WAS FOUND. DURING A SUBSEQUENT ENGINE EXAMINATION THE UPPER FUEL DIVIDER DIAPHRAGM WAS FOUND RUPTURED. NTSB METALLURGISTS EXAMINATION REVEALED TWO TEARS IN THE DIAPHRAGM; HOWEVER, THE TIME OF RUPTURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED TOWARD SUBSTANTIATING THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.