Accident Overview
The aircraft sustained substantial damage during an in-flight encounter with adverse weather, which caused the separation of airframe components and subsequent impact with terrain near Wells, Texas. The private pilot, who was the only person on board, received fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to H-S Air LP and was operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91 as a business flight.
Flight History
The flight departed West Houston Airport (IWS) in Houston, Texas, at approximately 2040, destined for Richard Lloyd Jones Jr. Airport (RVS) in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight operated under an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan.
Witness Accounts
Witnesses near the accident site reported hearing an explosion and subsequently observing a fireball descending through the clouds to the ground.
Radar Data
Radar track data from the final portion of the flight indicated that the airplane was transmitting a 7720 transponder code. Initially, the aircraft was on a heading of about 20 degrees at an altitude of 23,000 feet. This heading was maintained until 2120:03.73, at which point the airplane began a right turn. The turn continued for roughly 30 seconds, with the altitude remaining constant and the heading changing to approximately 90 degrees. After 2120:45.86, the track showed an erratic steep descent that persisted until the end of the data. The last recorded radar position was at 2122:15.53 at an altitude of 2,800 feet. The accident site was located 0.86 miles at a bearing of 94 degrees from this final radar point.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause is the pilot’s decision to continue the flight into an area of extreme weather, which led to the in-flight encounter with a thunderstorm and structural failure of the wings and tail.