Piper Aircraft INC PA 46-350P accident near Crystal River, Florida, February 1, 2022
On February 1, 2022 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 2016 Piper Aircraft INC PA 46-350P, registered N35CM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Crystal River, Florida (Crystal River-Capt Tom Davis F airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Collapse of the nose wheel landing gear assembly due to lateral loads encountered on the turf runway during rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 1, 2022 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Crystal River, Florida · Crystal River-Capt Tom Davis F · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper Aircraft INC PA 46-350P, built 2016
- Registration
- N35CM · registry record · serial 4636708
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After landing on the turf runway, the airplane drifted slightly to the right of the centerline and the pilot corrected with differential braking and left rudder, which brought the airplane back toward the centerline. When the speed reduced to less than 20 knots, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the lower engine mount was damaged. A landing gear trunnion bolt and fitting were found to have fractured consistent with overload, suggesting they fractured during the collapse rather than beforehand. Remnants of grass from the turf runway were found around the circumference of the right side of the nose landing gear wheel, between the wheel rim and the tire. This is consistent with a significant lateral load on the wheel from the right side, while the wheel was rotating (distributing grass around its circumference). Although it could not be determined when the lateral load occurred, the pilot reported correcting the airplane heading to the left during the landing roll, and tire marks showed the airplane veering left at the end of the landing roll. The lateral load on the nosewheel likely resulted in the overload failure of the trunnion bolt and fitting.
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
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 23,444 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 20,763 as pilot in command; 2,461 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 30, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 202 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 8, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 4,358 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A (piston); 220 hours total
- Operator: Crystal Motorsports LLC
The flight
- Departed from: ATL Atlanta GA at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,666 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 12:35 pm from CGC
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCGC 011735Z AUTO 13007G14KT 10SM CLR 20/04 A3023 RMK AO2 PNO=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on January 31, 2024. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Mfr - Information from FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | 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.