THE DTSB
Pending. Aircraft climbed to over 17,000 ft before descending at rates over 19,000 ft/min. ADSB track shows aircraft flew directly into a storm cell.
U-FITAQP: 24) IN FLIGHT BREAKUP
Piper PA-24-250 Comanche | N8422P
- DTSB analysis published
Key facts
- DateAugust 4, 2026
- Local time6:40 PM
- LightDay
- WeatherIMC
- Phase of flightUnknown
- People on board1
- Fatalities1
Accident Location
- City, State
- Bethany, Missouri
- Latitude
- 40.356299
- Longitude
- -94.02677
Aircraft Info
- N Number
- N8422P
- Make
- Piper
- Model
- PA-24-250 Comanche
- Category / Class
- Aircraft Single Engine Land
- Amateur Built
- No
Pilot Info
- Pilot in command
- Anderson, William Mack, IV
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 73
- Certification
- Private Pilot
- IFR rating
- No
- Medical
- None
- Flight school
- No
- Instructional flight
- No
Analysis
- Weather
- IMC
- Time of day
- Day
- Phase of flight
- Unknown
- Pilot error
- Yes
- Pilot incapacitation
- Unknown
- People on board
- 1
- PIC fatality
- 1
- Total fatalities
- 1
- NTSB travel
- Unknown
- AQP category
- 24) IN FLIGHT BREAKUP →
Probable Cause
NTSB
None yet (final report not yet published).
Recommendation
THE DTSB
Pending.
NTSB
None issued. NTSB recommendations are rare and usually tied to high-profile accidents.
See the NTSB Recommendation Tracker →