TOOL, TX, USA
N6959C
PIPER PA-28R-201T
DURING AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO PENETRATE A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH TOPS OF 45,000 FEET. THE PILOT REPORTED, DURING HIS LAST COMMUNICATIONS, THAT HE WAS ENCOUNTERING SEVERE TURBULENCE. THE AIRPLANE PIECES WERE SEEN TO FALL TO THE GROUND, SCATTERED OVER AN AREA OF 10 SQUARE MILES. SURFACE WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AT 40 MILES PER HOUR GUSTING TO 60 MILES PER HOUR WITH HEAVY RAIN. PRE FLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING IDENTIFIED THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER AND THE PILOT WAS ADVISED BY THE BRIEFER TO REMAIN ON THE GROUND UNTIL IT PASSED.
THE PILOT EXCEEDED THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRFRAME AS A RESULT OF FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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