Piper PA-46T accident near El Reno, Oklahoma, September 22, 2005
On September 22, 2005 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-46T, registered N7WS, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Reno, Oklahoma (El Reno Regional 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 improper flare which resulted in a hard landing. A related factor was the instructor's delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 2005 · about 2:45 pm local time · cases in 2005
- Place
- El Reno, Oklahoma · El Reno Regional Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46T · all PA-46Ts on the register
- Registration
- N7WS · no longer on the register · serial 4636035
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 1,576-hour private pilot was on an instructional training flight with his flight instructor practicing emergency procedures. A simulated power-off emergency descent was initiated by the flight instructor at 5,000 feet mean sea level (MSL) over the airport. The pilot successfully descended and aligned the airplane for final approach to Runway 17 when "an excessive sink rate developed on short final." The flight instructor directed the pilot to initiate a go-around. According to the pilot's statement in the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB form 6120.1/2) he "immediately initiated the go-around by adding power; however the long engine spool-up time led to a hard landing/touch and go." Weather at the time of the accident was reported to be, winds at 210 degrees and 9 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature 75 degrees Fahrenheit, altimeter 29.93 inches of Mercury.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,576 hours in all; 138 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1,460 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,812 hours in all; 302 in this make and model; 249 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 4,412 as pilot in command; 2,867 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,389.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6-35 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KPWA Oklahoma City OK at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,600 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 am from KPWA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N7WS: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Piper PA-46 Malibu, Mirage, Matrix and M-Class 1,692 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,848 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6-35 12 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- EL Reno Regional · nearest airport
- Wiley Post Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Oklahoma 1,300 since 1982 · 181 in the last ten years
- Oklahoma 5,643 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/DFW05CA248.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.