Piper PA-24-250 accident near San Simon, Arizona, October 27, 1993
On October 27, 1993 at about 3:24 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered XBHOM, was destroyed in an accident near San Simon, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION, AND HIS ALLOWING THE AIRPLANE TO EXCEED ITS DESIGN STRESS LIMITS, WHICH RESULTED IN OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE RIGHT OUTBOARD WIND SECTION AND LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND AN INADEQUATE HAZARDOUS WEATHER ADVISORY CONCERNING THE SEVERE TURBULENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 1993 · about 3:24 pm local time
- Place
- San Simon, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- XBHOM · no longer on the register · serial PA-24-1913
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT O634 MST, THE PILOT FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN & RECEIVED WEATHER INFO FOR A ROUTE FROM EL PASO TO TUCSON. HE WAS ADVIZED OF 2 PIREPS REGARDING SEVERE TURBULENCE IN THE TUCSON AREA & OF AN AIRMET CONCERNING TURBULENCE BELOW 12000 FT. THE PILOT'S TAKEOFF & DEPARTURE APPEARED NORMAL, THEN THERE WAS NO FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH THE AIRPLANE. WHILE EN ROUTE, AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP OF THE AIRCRAFT OCCURRED, BUT THERE WERE NO KNOWN WITNESSES. THE RIGHT OUTBOARD WING PANEL WAS FOUND ABOUT 2/10 MILE FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE WITH EVIDENCE THAT IT HAD FAILED IN POSITIVE (UPWARD) LOADING. THE OUTBOARD 2/3 OF THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER HAD SEPARATED, BUT WAS NOT FOUND; THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT IT HAD FAILED DOWNWARD. A PARK RANGER NOTED THE PRESENCE OF A 'BLACK . . . DOME SHAPED' CLOUD OVER MOUNTAINS ABOUT 5 MI FROM THE CRASH SITE. IT WAS CAPPED WITH ANOTHER SMALLER CLOUD AT A HIGHER ELEVATION. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAD NOT ISSUED AN ADVISORY FOR SEVERE TURBULENCE, ALTHOUGH INFO FOR SUCH DETERMINATION EXISTED BEFORE THE FLIGHT.
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
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,200 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, March 11, 1993; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ELP El Paso TX at 2:27 pm
- Destination: RYN Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°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.