On March 4, 1984, a Piper PA-34-200T (registration N5857F) was involved in an aviation accident near Harrison, AR. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a night cross-country flight, a pilot encountered a thunderstorm. After being vectored by ATC, contact was lost. The aircraft was found the next morning with its wings separated.
Incident Overview
During a night cross-country flight, the pilot encountered a thunderstorm. Air traffic control (ATC) was vectoring the aircraft to avoid the worst parts of the storm. Approximately two minutes after vectored flight, controllers at Memphis Center heard the aircraft's call sign shouted over the radio. Subsequent attempts to establish radio communication with the aircraft were unsuccessful.
Discovery of Wreckage
About seven minutes after the radio transmission, a nearby resident reported an aircraft accident to the sheriff. The aircraft was located the following morning. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the wings had separated from the main structure.