National Transportation Safety Board – Safety Alert

On December 19, 2011, a Piper PA-32-260, N3590T, collided with terrain following an in-flight breakup near Bryan, Texas. The pilot had been diverting to avoid weather and had likely received several NEXRAD updates in the minutes leading up to the accident. According to the NEXRAD data the pilot likely would have received, he was flying clear of the precipitation along the edge of the rain. Near the end of the flight, the pilot flew into a section of the developing rain shower. His display should have shown that he still remained clear of the precipitation. The last three NEXRAD updates that the pilot received should have each said that they were 1 minute old at the time they were received; however, the actual weather conditions at the time the images were received in the cockpit were about 6, 7, and almost 8 minutes old, respectively.

Read the NTSB Safety Alert warning that states the actual age of NEXRAD data can differ significantly from age indicated on cockpit display. According to a NTSB representative, the actual age of NEXRAD Data can exceed the age indication in the cockpit by 15 to 20 minutes.