HARTLETON, PA, USA
N6206P
PIPER PA-24-250
THE ACFT WAS ON AN IFR FLT AT 7000 FT. AT 1158:29, THE PLT RPRTD, 'SIX TWO ZERO SIX PAPA SPINNING.' SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED ON WOODED TERRAIN NEAR THE TOP OF A MTN RIDGE. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, WHO SAW THE ACFT BEFORE IT CRASHED, THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL CLOUD FORMATION IN THE AREA, AS WELL AS STRONG/GUSTY WINDS. HE SAID HE SAW THE ACFT DISAPPEAR BEHIND A WALL OF CLOUDS & REAPPEAR. HE INDICATED THE ACFT ENTERED A SPIN, THEN FLEW BACK UP ALMOST AS FAST AS IT CAME DOWN, BEFORE CRASHING. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS SEPARATED IN FLT. THEY WERE FOUND AWAY FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE & HAD FAILED IN A DOWNWARD DIRECTION FROM OVERLOAD. NO OTHER PREIMPACT PART FAILURE WAS EVIDENT. WEATHER RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT THE ACFT HAD CRASHED IN THE AREA OF A LEVEL 2 ECHO.
THE PILOT ALLOWED THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT TO BE EXCEEDED AFTER ENCOUNTERING ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. WEATHER WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
