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

FMI: www.ntsb.gov