Piper PA46 accident near Springhill, Louisiana, July 3, 2018
On July 3, 2018 at about 5:57 pm local time, a 2016 Piper PA46, registered N689KC, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Springhill, Louisiana (Springhill airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during an improper go-around procedure which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2018 · about 5:57 pm local time
- Place
- Springhill, Louisiana · Springhill · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA46 350P, built 2016 · all PA46s on the register
- Registration
- N689KC · registry record · serial 4636689
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During landing, the airplane bounced, and the pilot applied power to go around. The pilot reported that the engine did not produce full power and the airplane began to slow down. Onboard data indicated that the pilot accelerated the airplane to a maximum speed of 70 kts before he retracted the flaps; the airplane rolled right and impacted the runway, resulting in substantial damage. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would preclude normal operation. The airplane's published stall speed in the landing configuration was 60 knots; and 69 kts with landing gear and flaps retracted. The procedure for a go-around included retracting the wing flaps incrementally after attaining an airspeed of 80 kts. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot's failure to attain the proper airspeed during the go-around, and his improper decision to fully retract the wing flaps before attaining adequate airspeed, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, an aerodynamic stall, and impact with the runway.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,309 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 4,299 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Cd Air, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: KFAY Fayettevile NC at 3:50 pm
- Runway 18, 4,202 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm from KMNE, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN18LA257.