Piper PA-24-260 accident near Gorman, Texas, June 30, 2002
On June 30, 2002 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-260, registered N8681P, was destroyed in an accident near Gorman, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of control and the exceedence of the design limits of the airplane which resulted in an in-flight break-up. A factor was inadvertent VFR flight into IMC.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 2002 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gorman, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N8681P · no longer on the register · serial 24-4129
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instrument-rated pilot lost control of the airplane, which experienced an in-flight break-up, after encountering instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) while on a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight. There was no record of a weather briefing or air traffic control (ATC) communications for the accident airplane. Radar data, assumed to be that of the accident airplane, revealed it was climbing from 7,300 to 8,500 feet before descending rapidly to 4,700 feet, which was the altitude of the last radar return. The radar data depicted the airplane making a left turn followed by a right turn (the right turn took place during the rapid descent). The aircraft fuselage was located approximately 4,500 feet southwest from the last radar return. The wreckage was distributed along a 1.4-mile wreckage path. Weather radar data at the time of the accident was overlayed onto the ATC radar data. The combined information depicted the airplane flying through the leading edge of a precipitation cell that was in the area. The pilot's logbooks were not located, therefore, his instrument currency and experience was left undefined. No anomalies were noted with the airplane, engine, or its flight instruments that would have contributed to the accident. No distress calls were received from the airplane.
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: 7,900 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,090 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9F0 Dublin TX at 4:45 pm
- Destination: 2F5 Lamesa TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,900 ft; a few clouds at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 5:07 pm from MWL, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.