Piper PA46 accident near Brunswick, Georgia, March 1, 2016
On March 1, 2016 at about 8:43 pm local time, a 2012 Piper PA46, registered N1982F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Brunswick, Georgia (Mckinnon St Simons Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A hard landing, which resulted in the collapse of the nose gear assembly due to an overstress fracture and separation of the right side mounting point.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 2016 · about 8:43 pm local time
- Place
- Brunswick, Georgia · Mckinnon St Simons Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA46 350P, built 2012 · all PA46s on the register
- Registration
- N1982F · no longer on the register · serial 4636556
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that, after a normal landing on the main landing gear in gusty quartering headwind conditions, the nose gear touched down and he heard a "pop," then he "started losing control of the airplane." The nose continued to drop past the normal landing attitude while the pilot applied back pressure to the yoke and focused his attention on stopping the airplane and maintaining directional control. The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Examination of the nose landing gear revealed that the actuator was extended 6.8 inches, consistent with the nose gear being down and locked. This area of the nose gear assembly displayed gouging and missing material consistent with ground impact. The nose landing gear assembly was attached on the left side; however, the bolt was bent and the right side mounting point was fractured and separated from its attachment point, displaying fracture features consistent with overstress failure, which was likely the result of a hard 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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,544 hours in all; 255 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 4,436 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 9, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 568.8 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 14, 2015; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,299 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A (piston); 611 hours total
- Operator: Valaqsur LLC
The flight
- Departed from: MTH Marathon FL at 6:30 pm
- Destination: SSI Brunswick GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 3,313 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from SSI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.