Piper PA 46-350P accident near Fishers, Indiana, May 19, 2007
On May 19, 2007 at about 5:05 pm local time, a Piper PA 46-350P, registered N411MD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fishers, Indiana (Indianapolis Metropolitan 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The fatigue separation of the engine mount's nose gear actuator attachment foot during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 2007 · about 5:05 pm local time
- Place
- Fishers, Indiana · Indianapolis Metropolitan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 46-350P · all PA 46-350Ps on the register
- Registration
- N411MD · registry record · serial 4636262
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he crossed the "fence" at 90 knots and the touch down was soft on the main landing gear in the center of the runway. The pilot indicated that he "lightly applied toe brake pressure to slowdown the aircraft. ... Upon light toe brake pressure, we felt snap, and collapse of nose gear resulting in swerve to [left] of centerline - power setting was at IDLE when this occurred." An on-scene examination of the engine mount revealed a separation of the "new" one-piece foot design right attachment foot. Examination of the nose landing gear tire and rim revealed no pre-impact anomalies or under inflation. Examination of the engine mount revealed that "the upper aft part of the right nose gear actuator attachment foot fractured away from the rest of the engine mount. ... The fracture at the forward edge of the [right] foot had relatively smooth features on flat planes and showed curved crack arrest markings consistent with fatigue cracking from multiple origins. The fatigue cracking was evident over an arc of approximately 90 degrees; at its deepest penetration, the fatigue crack had propagated through approximately 90 percent of the estimated 0.07-inch wall thickness of the foot."
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: 1,010 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 910 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 772 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2006; 32.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MZZ Marion IN at 4:50 pm
- Destination: UMP
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,850 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from IND, 17 miles away
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.
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.