Piper PA-34-200 accident near Gulf Of Mexico, July 10, 1994
On July 10, 1994 at about 1:54 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N55120, was destroyed in an accident near Gulf Of Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER. FACTORS WERE THE THUNDERSTORMS AND THE PILOT'S DISREQARD FOR THE FORECASTED ADVERSE WEATHER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 1994 · about 1:54 pm local time
- Place
- Gulf Of Mexico
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N55120 · no longer on the register · serial 34-7350175
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED DUE TO OVERLOAD AS THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER THE AIRPLANE UNDER A LINE OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THE PILOT CONTACTED FLIGHT WATCH REPORTING A RAIN SQUALL ALONG THE ROUTE AND WAS BRIEFED THAT RAIN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING IN FROM THE COASTLINE. THE CELLS SHOWED LEVEL THREE AND FOUR. THE PILOT REPORTED 'I'M IN SOLID RAIN RIGHT NOW' AND THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF ACTIVITY SOUTH. THE PILOT CONTACTED APPROACH CONTROL FOR VFR FLIGHT FOLLOWING AND WAS BRIEFED ON THUNDERSTORM CELLS IN THE AREA. THE PILOT REPORTED ACTIVITY ON THE COCKPIT STORMSCOPE AND REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A DEVIATION TO THE SOUTH. PORTIONS OF THE WRECKAGE WERE FOUND FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS OVER SEVERAL MILES. CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED TO ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS. EXAMINATION OF THE ONE RECOVERED ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY ANOMALIES THAT WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE PILOT RECEIVED WEATHER BRIEFINGS THAT INCLUDED THUNDERSTORM AND RAIN SHOWER ACTIVITY WITH VFR FLIGHT NOT RECOMMENDED.
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
- Flight time: 502 hours in all; 132 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,238 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1993; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NEW New Orleans LA at 12:08 pm
- Destination: SPX Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.