At 14:30 PDT, a Smith Aerostar 601P suffered structural damage during an encounter with severe turbulence and an in-flight upset near Shoshone. The three occupants were not injured. During the pilots preflight weather briefing, he was advised that AIRMETS for moderate or greater turbulence were in effect for his route of flight. The aircraft was in cruise flight at 14,000 feet when it inadvertently penetrated a thunderstorm. The pilot said that at one point the aircraft was inverted and lost over 8,000 feet of altitude before he was able to regain control.
Apr. 12, Shoshone, Calif. / Smith Aerostar 601P
At 14:30 PDT, a Smith Aerostar 601P suffered structural damage during an encounter with severe turbulence and an in-flight upset near Shoshone. The three occupants were not injured. During the pilots preflight weather briefing, he was advised that AIRMETS for moderate or greater turbulence were in effect for his route of flight. The aircraft was in cruise flight at 14,000 feet when it inadvertently penetrated a thunderstorm. The pilot said that at one point the aircraft was inverted and lost over 8,000 feet of altitude before he was able to regain control....
Key Takeaways:
- A Smith Aerostar 601P sustained structural damage and experienced an in-flight upset after inadvertently penetrating a thunderstorm and encountering severe turbulence near Shoshone.
- The aircraft inverted and lost over 8,000 feet of altitude before the pilot regained control, though all three occupants were uninjured.
- The pilot had been advised during his preflight briefing that AIRMETs for moderate or greater turbulence were in effect for his planned route.
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