Piper PA-46-310P accident near Bristol, Indiana, May 31, 1989
On May 31, 1989 at about 9:06 pm local time, a Piper PA-46-310P, registered N9114B, was destroyed in an accident near Bristol, Indiana. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
CONTINUED FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER AND HIS EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN FAILURE OF THE WING SPARS AND SEPARATION OF THE RIGHT WING AND EMPENNAGE (STABILIZERS). CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: CONTINUED FLIGHT BY THE PILOT ABOVE THE MANEUVERING SPEED (VA), HIS LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRCRAFT, AND THUNDERSTORMS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1989 · about 9:06 pm local time
- Place
- Bristol, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46-310P · all PA-46-310Ps on the register
- Registration
- N9114B · no longer on the register · serial 46-08046
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER BEING CLEARED TO DESCEND TO TWELVE THOUSAND FEET AND TO DEVIATE AROUND A 'BIG CELL', THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED AN AREA OF LEVEL TWO AND THREE THUNDERSTORMS. SUBSEQUENTLY, AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP OCCURRED AND WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER A FOUR MILE AREA. DURING THE BREAKUP, THE RIGHT WING AND EMPENNAGE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE LEFT WING AND SPAR ALSO FAILED AT THE SAME LOCATION AS THE RIGHT WING, BUT THE LEFT WING REMAINED WITH THE FUSELAGE. NO PRE-ACCIDENT FAILURE, MALFUNCTION OR METAL FATIGUE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND DRG THE INVESTIGATION.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,619 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1,482 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 705 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 29, 1988; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-BE (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: THA Tullahoma TN
- Destination: AZO Kalamazoo MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from SBN, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.