Accident Piper PA-24-250 N5145P,
ASN logo
ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 37240
 
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.

Date:Monday 12 August 1991
Time:12:41 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic PA24 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-24-250
Owner/operator:Thomas K. Phelps
Registration: N5145P
MSN: 24-161
Total airframe hrs:2441 hours
Engine model:Lycoming O-540-A1C5
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Guide Rock, NE -   United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Spearfish, SD (KSPF)
Destination airport:Fayetteville, AR (KFYV)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
THE PILOT WHO WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED WAS TRYING TO REMAIN VFR ON TOP WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED IMC AT 17,500 FEET. AIRCRAFT ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AFTER THE PILOT TRIED TO MANEUVER TO REMAIN IN VMC. THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT DURING DESCENT. THE PILOT WAS ABOVE 14,000 FEET FOR ONE HOUR. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT OXYGEN EQUIPPED, AND NO EVIDENCE OF PORTABLE OXYGEN WAS FOUND. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF A PRELFIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING. THE PILOT GOT AN INFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING 1.5 HOURS BEFORE THE CRASH IN WHICH VFR WAS NOT RECOMMENDED, AND A ROUTE OF FLIGHT TO AVOID THE WEATHER WAS SUGGESTED. A SECOND INFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING WAS OBSTAINED 20 MINUTES BEORE THE CRASH IN WHICH A ROUTE OF FLIGHT TO AVOID THE WEATHER WAS AGAIN SUGGESTED. PILOT CONTINUED UNTIL HE WAS IMC.

Probable Cause: SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, AND EXCEEDING THE DESIGN LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT ARE INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING, VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC, FLIGHT WEATHER AVOIDANCE ASSISTANCE NOT FOLLOWED, EXCESSIVE ALTITUDE, PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT (ANOXIA/HYPOXIA), AND LACK OF TOTAL INSTRUMENT TIME.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: CHI91FA259
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 8 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB CHI91FA259

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Oct-2008 10:30 ASN archive Added
21-Dec-2016 19:23 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
11-Apr-2024 12:58 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org