Date & Time: Oct 24, 1975 at 1328 LT
Registration:
N100QU
Flight Phase:
Flight
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Arapahoe – Paducah
MSN:
421B-0471
YOM:
1973
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
2
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
6700
Captain / Total hours on type:
70
Circumstances:
En route from Arapahoe (Colorado) to Paducah, while in normal cruise, the pilot encountered very bad weather conditions with thunderstorm activity, turbulences and hail. Control was lost and the airplane disintegrated in the air before it crashed in Berryville. All three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Uncontrolled descent and airframe failure in flight after the pilot continued flight into known areas of severe turbulences. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The pilot exceeded the design stress limits of the aircraft,
- Overload failure,
- Hail,
- Turbulences,
- Thunderstorm activity,
- Separation in flight,
- Flew into known thunderstorm conditions,
- Aircraft disintegrated.
Final Report:
N100QU.pdf121.92 KB