Accident Piper PA-30-160 Twin Comanche N7266Y,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 13447
 
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Date:Tuesday 23 August 1966
Time:14:32 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic PA30 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-30-160 Twin Comanche
Owner/operator:Executive Air Co Inc
Registration: N7266Y
MSN: 30-302
Fatalities:Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Long Island MacArthur Airport, Ronkonkoma, Islip, Suffolk County, New -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Long Island MacArthur Airport, Islip, New York (ISP/KISP)
Destination airport:Long Island MacArthur Airport, Islip, New York (ISP/KISP)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
Written off (destroyed( August 23, 1966 when crashed due to structural failure in flight (wings broke off) near Long Island MacArthur Airport, Long Island, Ronkonkoma, Town of Islip, Suffolk County, New York. All six persons on board (pilot and five passengers) were killed. According to a contemporary press report (The Evening Standard, Uniontown, Pennsylvania August 24, 1966):

"SIX KILLED IN CRASH OF PLANE.

Ronkonkoma, N.Y. (AP) -- An Air Force captain, his wife and four children were killed Tuesday when their small rented plane crashed only miles from where they had spent a week swimming and visiting relatives. Authorities were investigating the possibility that lightning struck Capt. ROBERT T. SHAW'S six-seat Piper Comanche. The plane tumbled into an unopened section of the Long Island Expressway, killing the captain, 32, his wife, JOAN, 28, and their children, DEBORAH, 9, CHRISTINE, 8, JEFF, 6, and JAMES, 3. A witness said he saw a flash of lightning, heard a thunder clap, then watched pieces of the plane fall from the sky."

According to the official NTSB report into the accident:

"PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
PILOT IN COMMAND - ATTEMPTED OPERATION BEYOND EXPERIENCE/ABILITY LEVEL - SPATIAL DISORIENTATION - EXCEEDED DESIGNED STRESS LIMITS OF AIRCRAFT
AIRFRAME - WINGS: OTHER
FACTOR(S)
MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - OVERLOAD FAILURE - SEPARATION IN FLIGHT OF WINGS
WEATHER - THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY"

Weather forecast adverse for VFR flight. Pilot entered thunderstorm area while returning to departure airport. Outboard wing panels failed. Registration N7266Y cancelled by the FAA on June 26, 1970

Accident investigation:
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: NYC67A0038
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

1. NTSB Identification: NYC67A0038 at https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=24019&key=0
2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=7266Y
3. http://planecrashmap.com/plane/ny/N7266Y/
4. http://www.gendisasters.com/mainlist/newyork/Air%20Disasters?page=1

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
25-Feb-2008 12:00 ASN archive Added
18-Jan-2017 17:35 Dr. John Smith Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

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