Aircraft Clipped Apartment Building
It was a dark and stormy night in
San Antonio Sunday -- one that turned deadly for five people aboard
a Piper PA-31 Navajo trying to land in the foul weather. All on
board were lost when the aircraft clipped a senior citizens'
apartment building, leaving one wing embedded in a wall.
No one on the ground was seriously hurt in the accident, which
occurred at approximately 1700 hrs local, although some minor
injuries were reported, according to police. Some of the victims on
the ground were treated for smoke inhalation, but the woman whose
apartment was most severely damaged wasn't hurt at all.
The aircraft was returning to San Antonio after a pheasant
hunting trip in Kansas, according to local authorities. FAA
spokesman John Clabes said, while on approach to San Antonio
International Airport, the aircraft wandered off course.
"He pulled out of the approach and disappeared off our radar,"
he told KSAT-TV News.
The aircraft apparently impacted the
ground at relatively high speed. Part of it was actually embedded
in the ground. Another part punched through a wall of the senior
citizens' housing complex.
"It came down at a rapid speed," said Luis Hernandez, who had
just stepped out of his nearby home to smoke a cigarette. He told
KSAT, "Within seconds, it hit the ground."
The victims were identified as two doctors, their sons and their
pilot:
- Stewart Johnson, general surgeon
- Johnson's son, Hugh
- David McMurray, radiologist
- McMurray's son, Daniel
- Jerry Oyler, pilot
The aircraft (file photo of type, below) was owned by Dash Air
Charter of San Antonio.
FAA Preliminary Accident Report
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 40731 Make/Model: PA31
Description: PA-31/31P Navajo, Navajo Chieftain, Chie
Date: 11/14/2004 Time: 2015
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury:
Fatal Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
City: SAN
ANTONIO State:
TX Country: US
DESCRIPTION
ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES INTO A BUILDING, THE
FIVE PERSONS
ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED AND TWO PERSONS ON THE GROUND
HAD MINOR
INJURIES, SAN ANTONIO, TX
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 5
# Crew:
1 Fat: 1 Ser: 0
Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass:
4 Fat: 4 Ser: 0
Min: 0 Unk:
#
Grnd: Fat: 0
Ser: 0 Min: 2 Unk:
WEATHER: SPECI KSAT 142332Z 05009KT 4SM -DZ OVC004 12/11
A3028
OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase: Unknown
Operation: General Aviation
Departed: DODGE CITY,
KS Dep Date: Dep.
Time:
Destination: SAN ANTONIO, TX Flt
Plan: IFR Wx Briefing: Y
Last Radio Cont: 2 WEST OF SAT AIRPORT
Last Clearance: HEADING 270 MAINTAIN 3500
FAA FSDO: SAN ANTONIO, TX
(SW17) Entry date:
11/15/2004