May 30, 19983 The aircraft crashed while on a flight in an area where thunderstorm warnings were in effect. There were no known witnesses to the actual crash, but 2 or 3 local residents heard an aircraft engine at about the estimated time of the accident.
One resident about 1/4 mi from the crash site stated that he heard the engine approximately 5 min after a severe thunderstorm began. He stated that about 2 inches of rain fell in 20 min, visibility was restricted & there was "very hi winds." A local radio station at Haskell, Texas recorded winds of 54 mph during the thunderstorm. An investigation revealed that the aircraft's right wing & both horizontal stabilators had separated in flight, then the aircraft crashed in a 70 to 80 degrees nose down, inverted, left wing low attitude while at a hi rate of speed.
The wing & stabilator failures were indicative of overload separation. One of the 5 occupant in the 4 place aircraft was a baby. Probable Cause : VFR flight into poor weather, command, Airplane handling, Not maintained, Pilot in command, Spatial disorientation, Pilot in command Design stress limits of aircraft. Exceeded. Pilot in command. Contributing Factors: Planning/decision. Improper. Pilot in command, Weather condition. Thunderstorm, Weather condition. Rain, Weather condition. High wind, Weather condition. Turbulence (thunderstorms), Weather condition obscuration and lack of total instrument time.