Piper PA-46-350P accident near Laconia, New Hampshire, January 18, 2003
On January 18, 2003 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-46-350P, registered N9170X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Laconia, New Hampshire (Laconia Municipal Airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of directional control during landing, which resulted in an impact with a snowbank, and overstress fracture of the nose gear actuator and engine mount foot attachment. A factor in the accident was the icy runway conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 2003 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Laconia, New Hampshire · Laconia Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46-350P · all PA-46-350Ps on the register
- Registration
- N9170X · registry record · serial 4622018
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the airplane touched down on the runway, it veered "dead left," slid off the runway, and impacted a snow pile. After landing, the pilot noticed that the runway was approximately 85% covered with ice approximately 1/4 - 1 inch thick. Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed an overstress fracture of the right foot of the engine mount, and the nose gear actuator lug. A portion of the fracture area also contained signatures indicative of a preexisting fatigue crack. The fatigue region was near but not directly adjacent to the toe of a weld portion of the foot, which was the subject of a Piper Service Bulletin. The Service Bulletin attributed cracks on the engine mount in the area of the nose gear actuator attach feet, to "excessive loads, possibly through hard landings, rough field operations, excessive speed turns and/or improper towing of the aircraft." The Service Bulletin required operators to inspect the engine mounts for cracks after every 100 hours of flight time, until the engine mount was replaced with a newer model which incorporated a one-piece foot at the nose gear actuator attach point. Examination of the aircraft logbooks revealed the Service Bulletin was complied with in April 2002, with no cracks observed.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,315 hours in all; 629 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,170 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 29, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,880 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 5, 2002; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming L-8974-61A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ISP Islip NY at 3:30 pm
- Destination: LCI Laconia NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 5,286 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 7°F (-14°C), dew point -11°F (-24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from LCI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 IAD03LA028.