Piper PA-28-236 N8072X

Summary

On 3 August 1995 at about 14:35 local time, a Piper PA-28-236 registered N8072X was involved in an accident near Rehoboth, Massachusetts, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 August 1995 at 14:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Rehoboth, Massachusetts, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-236

Registration

N8072X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Honoyoe Falls → Chatham

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC95FA181

1 person died.

The pilot's inadvertent flight into hazardous weather, which subsequently resulted in exceeding the design stress limits of the airplane and an in-flight breakup. Factors relating to the accident were: embedded thunderstorms, turbulence, and failure of the National Weather Service to issue a Convective SIGMET or a Center Weather Advisory.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During IFR flight at 7,000 feet msl, the pilot encountered convective weather activity, and subsequently, the airplane broke up in flight. The breakup included separation of both outer wing panels, the vertical stabilizer, the right horizontal stabilator, and the outboard portion of the left horizontal stabilator. Deformation indicated upward failure of the wings and downward failure of the stabilators. The Area Forecast was indicating widely scattered thunderstorms for an area that included the accident location; however, there were no Convective SIGMETS or Center Weather Advisories in effect. Investigation revealed that ATC had issued a warning about a thunderstorm ahead and had provided clearance for a vector around the weather. The pilot did not respond, and about 20 seconds later, the transmission was repeated. The pilot acknowledged and initiated a turn, but radar and weather data showed that the airplane tracked to about 2 nautical miles from a Level 5 to Level 6 thunderstorm. The airplane then entered a descent and crashed. The cloud bases were near 800 feet, and cloud tops were above 15,000 feet. There was moderate or greater convective turbulence below 10,000 feet, with up and downdrafts and horizontal wind gusts. Also, there were embedded thunderstorms, and the freezing level was above 14,000 feet. Two ground witnesses stated that when they observed the airplane, 'very hard' rain was falling with lightning and thunder.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.