Piper PA46 accident near Midland, Virginia, December 2, 2016
On December 2, 2016 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1999 Piper PA46, registered N4149R, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Midland, Virginia (Warrenton-Fauquier airport). It was an instructional 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 pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent hard landing while demonstrating a short-field landing and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 2016 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Midland, Virginia · Warrenton-Fauquier · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA46 350P, built 1999 · all PA46s on the register
- Registration
- N4149R · registry record · serial 4636226
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot receiving instruction reported that, during an annual insurance flight review, he was told to perform a short-field landing for the final landing. The flight instructor told him to be "50 ft. over the numbers at 75 KIAS [knots indicated airspeed], then go to flight idle, push the nose down, and land short." On short final, the pilot obtained the target altitude and airspeed, then reduced the power to flight idle, and the airplane dropped rapidly. He advanced the power lever, but the turbine-powered engine was slow to respond due to the spool-up lag, and the airplane landed hard and bounced. The pilot reported they taxied back to the hangar with no further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The substantial damage was discovered later during a Federal Aviation Administration evaluation for repairs for a ferry permit. The ferry permit was submitted after receiving an engineering evaluation on the structure of the fuselage to allow the company to fly the airplane to a more appropriate repair station. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The flight manual for the PA-46-350P states: "for a short field technique, flaps are to be full down, airspeed 78 KIAS, throttle as required. Once over the obstacle on final, throttle reduced to idle. After touchdown, brakes maximum."
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,430 hours in all; 263 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 2,346 as pilot in command; 296 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 15, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,100 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,000 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 28, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,165 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 17, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 4,318 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-35 (turboprop); 315 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OKV Winchester VA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: HWY Midland VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 9:35 am from KHWY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 29, 2017. 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 | Accident Photos (Courtesy of Owner) | 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.