GUNTERSVILLE, AL, USA
N416HC
BEECH A36
THE PILOT WAS PROCEEDING TO HIS DESTINATION AT FLIGHT LEVEL 210, BETWEEN CLOUD LAYERS. HE WAS APPROACHING A CLOUD CELL, AND REQUESTED TO DEVIATE TO THE NORTH. THE PILOT NOTICED NOTHING ON HIS WEATHER RADAR, AND HE DECIDED TO CONTINUE ON COURSE AFTER A VFR AIRCRAFT AHEAD OF HIM REPORTED NO SIGNIFICANT TURBULENCE. AS HE ENTERED THE CLOUD FORMATION, THERE WAS 'ONE VERY HARD HIT OF TURBULENCE', WITH ASSOCIATED ICE AND HAIL. HE THEN LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER A LOSS OF ABOUT 10,000 FEET OF ALTITUDE, HE WAS ABLE TO REGAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL. DURING THE RECOVERY, HE NOTICED THE AIRSPEED IN EXCESS OF 'RED LINE.' HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE AT A NEARBY AIRPORT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AN FAA INSPECTOR DETERMINED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS STRUCTURALLY DAMAGED IN FLIGHT. NTAP RADAR DATA SHOWS THAT THE FLIGHT PENETRATED AN AREA OF HEAVY WEATHER RETURNS.
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE EVALUATION OF THE IN FLIGHT WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND HIS SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT BEING EXCEEDED. FACTORS WERE CLOUDS, THE ASSOCIATED TURBULENCE, AND THE HAIL IN THE CLOUDS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
