Piper PA-46-500TP accident near Flagstaff, Arizona, March 15, 2005
On March 15, 2005 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-46-500TP, registered N504SR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Flagstaff, Arizona (Flagstaff Puliam 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the loss of directional control during landing for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 2005 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Flagstaff, Arizona · Flagstaff Puliam Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46-500TP · all PA-46-500TPs on the register
- Registration
- N504SR · no longer on the register · serial 4697165
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane veered off the left side of the runway during the landing roll and the nose landing gear collapsed upon impact with a snow bank. The pilot reported that the airplane touched down normally on the main landing gear, but when the nose landing gear touched down the airplane veered suddenly and violently to the left. He believed the nose landing gear was not responding to normal control inputs. The tire and skid marks on the runway were consistent with the pilot's statement and showed that the airplane's track diverged in excess of 70 degrees from the runway centerline just after nose wheel touchdown. Examination of the tires disclosed that the nose tire was scrubbed perpendicularly to the tire tread from right to left. No flat spots or other unusual signatures were observed on the main tires or the brakes. Post accident investigation of the nose landing gear system revealed the bolt that attaches the hydraulic actuator to the engine mount was sheared and the nose gear steering arm was fractured. Examination of the steering arm revealed it met the manufacturer's specifications and its failure, along with the bolt, was determined to be overload. Examination of the steering bungee revealed no obvious anomalies. According to the airplane manufacturer, there were 32 prior reports of temporary and unexplained loss of directional control immediately following nose wheel touchdown during landings, primarily when crosswind conditions are present and/or when applying full propeller reverse. Investigation of those events by the manufacturer's engineering department found that a contributing cause of the directional control problems was identified as insufficient nose gear steering authority, which under certain conditions, can allow the nose gear steering system rotation to momentarily exceed the pilot's input. The manufacturer issued a service bulletin, which recommended the incorporation of nose gear installation modifications. The modifications were intended to increase the pilot's steering authority and remedy the directional control problems. According to manufacturer, the accident airplane was manufactured after all of the nose gear modifications were implemented on the production line.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,186 hours in all; 215 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,093 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 186.9 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 1, 2004; 84.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,134 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-42A (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 36U Heber UT at 8:30 pm
- Destination: FLG Flagstaff AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 3, 6,999 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from FLG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.
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.