Piper PA46 accident near Sparta, Tennessee, July 27, 2019
On July 27, 2019 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 2000 Piper PA46, registered N12KW, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Sparta, Tennessee (Upper Cumberland Rgnl airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain the runway heading during an aborted takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with a sign and terrain. Contributing to the need to abort the takeoff was the pilot's improper decision to take off with the airplane over its maximum gross takeoff weight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2019 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sparta, Tennessee · Upper Cumberland Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA46 350P, built 2000 · all PA46s on the register
- Registration
- N12KW · registry record · serial 4636255
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during takeoff, everything appeared "good" until he saw a yellow warning light illuminate. He remembered seeing the letters "hydr…" on the light and became concerned about the landing gear. He decided to abort the takeoff and reduced power and held back pressure on the yoke. He added that he intentionally "let" the airplane go left over grass. As the airplane decelerated, he saw a taxiway sign ahead, the stall warning horn sounded, and the airplane settled back onto the ground on the taxiway sign. The pilot then pulled the yoke full aft and added right brake, and the airplane impacted a ditch. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector corroborated the pilot's statement. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The FAA inspector reported that, during postaccident examination, no warning lights were noted. The pilot reported that, before the flight, he performed weight and balance calculations. He added that the airplane was more than 300 lbs over the maximum allowable gross weight and was "heavy aft." He reported that he had seven people on board the six-seat airplane; six people were sitting in a seat, and one person was sitting on the floor.
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 takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Heading/course › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Maximum weight › Capability exceeded
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › CG/weight distribution › Capability exceeded
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 400 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 340 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 4,299 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Allied Moulded Products, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: SRB Sparta TN at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 6,704 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from KSRB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N12KW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA19CA456.