Piper PA-46-310P accident near Cassville, Missouri, December 1, 2021
On December 1, 2021 at about 8:50 pm local time, a 1986 Piper PA-46-310P, registered N444DT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Cassville, Missouri (Cassville Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to reinstall the nose landing gear linkage prior to the flight which resulted in a loss of directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 2021 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Cassville, Missouri · Cassville Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46-310P, built 1986 · all PA-46-310Ps on the register
- Registration
- N444DT · registry record · serial 4608008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during landing following a local flight, the airplane oscillated left and right as he attempted to maintain directional control on the ground. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and impacted in a ravine. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot reported that before the flight he had reinstalled the nose landing gear steering arm but did not properly secure the steering linkage to the steering arm. Because he did not properly secure the steering linkage, the nose landing gear was not aligned with the runway during the landing.
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
- Runway excursion during landing defining event
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,594.7 hours in all; 1,110 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 6.5 in the last 30 days; 1,551.7 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 5, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,034 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 4,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental Motors TSIO-550C-14B (piston); 467 hours total
- Operator: Nakatsu Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: ASG Springdale AR at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09/2, 3,599 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from KHFJ, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KHFJ 012115Z AUTO 23008KT 10SM CLR 18/04 A3000 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 5, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.