Piper PA46 accident near Cornelia, Georgia, November 29, 2021
On November 29, 2021 at about 7:47 pm local time, a 2006 Piper PA46, registered N172MA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Cornelia, Georgia (Habersham County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 29, 2021 · about 7:47 pm local time
- Place
- Cornelia, Georgia · Habersham County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA46 500TP, built 2006 · all PA46s on the register
- Registration
- N172MA · registry record · serial 4697263
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the single-engine turboprop airplane stated that he flew a straight-in visual approach to the 5,500 ft-long asphalt runway. He added that the airplane was on a correct glidepath and correct airspeed of 120 knots on short final approach. The main landing gear touched down first during the landing, followed by the nose landing gear. As soon as the nosewheel touched down, the airplane pulled to the left. The pilot corrected with right rudder input, but the airplane pulled again to the left and the pilot again applied right rudder. The pilot relaxed right rudder pressure a second time and the airplane again pulled aggressively to the left. He set the throttle to beta, applied both brakes, and right rudder, but the airplane departed the left side of the runway about halfway down the runway. The wind was recorded as calm at the time of the accident. The runway had a displaced threshold of 1,392 ft; skid marks on the runway (consisting of the nose gear tire and right main gear tire) indicated that the airplane touched down about halfway down the remaining 4,108 ft of the runway. The lack of skid marks for the left main landing gear tire was consistent with the airplane touching down in a left crab angle. As the skid marks neared the left edge of the runway, a skid mark corresponding to the left main landing gear tire became visible, and all three tire marks were visible in the grass off the left side of the runway. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. Given all available information, it is likely that the airplane was in a crab to the left when it touched down, which resulted in the subsequent loss of directional control and runway excursion.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Landing area overshoot during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Yaw control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,065 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 4,379 as pilot in command; 2,600 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 7, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 14, 2021; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,130 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-42A (turboprop); 3,000 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DTS Destin FL at 6:21 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 06, 5,503 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from KAJR
Weather report (METAR): KAJR 291955Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 13/M14 A3004
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on October 5, 2023. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memoranda for the Record | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Cockpit Displays - Specialist's Factual Report | PDF, 13 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Cockpit Displays - Data | data file | Download |
| 7 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Evidence Control Forms | 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.