U-FITAQP: 24) IN FLIGHT BREAKUP
THE DTSB
The DTSB determines the Probable cause of this accident to be Pilot Error, in that the pilot entered an area of known and forecast moderate to severe turbulence at a very high speed. The aircraft wreckage was found spread over a large area, indicating an in flight breakup.
NTSB
Probable Cause issued 7/16/2026 – 26 months after the accident: The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s design limitations, which resulted in an in-flight breakup.
THE DTSB
The DTSB recommends that all pilots of all aircraft use proper preflight planning to avoid areas of inflight turbulence and convective activity, and take aggressive action to slow down to maneuvering speed (Va) well prior to encountering these type conditions.
NTSB
None issued. NTSB recommendations are rare and usually tied to high-profile accidents.
See the NTSB Recommendation Tracker →