Piper PA-28-236 accident near Anson, Texas, June 26, 1988
On June 26, 1988 at about 7:47 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-236, registered N2889N, was destroyed in an accident near Anson, 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
INADEQUATE WEATHER EVALUATION-PIC; FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, INADVERTENT-PIC; DESIGN STRESS LIMITS EXCEEDED BY PIC; THUNDERSTORM
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 1988 · about 7:47 pm local time
- Place
- Anson, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-236 · all PA-28-236s on the register
- Registration
- N2889N · no longer on the register · serial 28-7911229
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ENCOUNTERED FORECAST TSTMS EN ROUTE. AT 1430 CDT, THE PLT HAD RPTD 2400 FT MSL, CLIMBING TO HIS CRUISE ALTITUDE AT 8000 FT. AT 1440, THE PLT REQUESTED, AND DEVIATION AROUND WEATHER WAS APPROVED. THE PLT DID NOT REPORT FURTHER DIFFICULTY, BUT LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP OF THE ACFT OCCURRED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. WEATHER AND RADAR DATA INDICATE THAT THE AIRPLANE BROKE UP NEAR THE EDGE OF A LEVEL TWO THUNDERSTORM. HEAVY RAIN AND LIGHTNING WERE REPORTED BY LOCAL RESIDENTS. THE OUTBOARD END OF THE LEFT WING AND THE STABILATOR HAD SEPARATED IN-FLIGHT. THE LEFT WING FAILED IN POSITIVE OVERLOAD. ALTHOUGH THE RIGHT WING HAD NOT SEPARATED, IT ALSO REVEALED DAMAGE FM HIGH POSITIVE LOADING. THE STABILATOR FRACTURES INDICATED TORSIONAL OVERLOAD. BOTH PLTS HELD PVT PILOT CERTIFICATES AND WERE INSTRUMENT-RATED.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 760 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 910 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1987; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3A5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ABI Abilene TX at 7:29 pm
- Destination: LBB Lubbock TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:47 pm from ABI, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.