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| Date: | Thursday 15 November 2007 |
| Time: | 15:00 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28R-200 Arrow |
| Owner/operator: | Skymates Inc |
| Registration: | N55307 |
| MSN: | 28R-7335213 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1973 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 7260 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-360 SER |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Ranger, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Arlington, TX (GKY) |
| Abilene Regional Airport, TX (ABI/KABI) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
While on an instructional cross-country flight in visual meteorological conditions, the airplane experienced an in-flight breakup during an aerobatic maneuver. Five maneuvers of interest were identified in the radar data for the accident flight. During the last maneuver the airplane's airspeed exceeded 134 knots calibrated airspeed (KCAS). According to the airplane's type certificate data sheet, the airplane's maximum maneuvering speed was 116 KCAS. Fellow flight instructors revealed that the accident flight instructor had reported performing "rolls" and/or "snap rolls" in the past while in the flight school's airplanes. In addition, one primary flight student reported that the accident flight instructor had demonstrated "rolls" and "spins" to him during flight lessons. No preimpact mechanical deficiencies with the airplane were noted, and all fracture surfaces were consistent with overload separations.
Probable Cause: The pilot's intentional performance of aerobatic maneuvers that exceeded the design limits of the airplane structure.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20071119X01812&key=1
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 25-Jan-2008 02:16 | JINX | Added |
| 05-Dec-2017 09:44 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 01-Jun-2023 11:53 | Ron Averes | Updated |
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