Piper PA 46-350P accident near Atlanta, Georgia, December 3, 2006
On December 3, 2006 at about 4:14 pm local time, a Piper PA 46-350P, registered N46PT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlanta, Georgia. 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The exceedance of airplane design stress limits when the pilot did not maintain aircraft control after his attention was diverted to the right side attitude indicator during cruise flight. An additional cause was the aural detection for the autopilot disconnect was difficult to hear with the noise canceling headset. A contributing factor was the disengaged autopilot/flight director.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 3, 2006 · about 4:14 pm local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 46-350P · all PA 46-350Ps on the register
- Registration
- N46PT · registry record · serial 4622108
- 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 he heard a loud whistling noise while in level cruise at flight level (FL) 220 and noticed that the right side attitude indicator was "tilted." While he was leaning over adjusting the instrument, he realized that the airplane was in a dive. He leveled the wings and pulled out of the dive at FL 190. The autopilot (A/P) was re-engaged and the flight was completed to its intended destination without further incident. A visual examination after the descent revealed the left front baggage door open and buckled, and the left and right wings showed skin damage and wrinkling approximately 54 inches from the wing roots. When tested, the autopilot and flight director performed within test specifications with only "minor" deviations. Both vacuum pumps tested within test specifications. The right side attitude indicator continued to show a three degree turn even after a kink in the vacuum supply to the right side attitude indicator was removed. The "normal" static system leaked in excess of allowable limits; however, the valve was found to be in the "alternate" position before it was tested. An active noise-canceling set of headphones was found connected to the pilot's side of the cockpit. The A/P disconnect tone was found to be operating normally while the engine was at idle power. During the test, it was noted that the tone was difficult to hear while wearing the headset.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,700 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 2,640 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,925 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FMY Ft. Meyers FL at 1:23 pm
- Destination: UMP Indianapolis IN
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: overcast at 19,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N46PT the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.