Piper PA-46-350P accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, April 16, 2007
On April 16, 2007 at about 5:37 pm local time, a Piper PA-46-350P, registered N4946R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Fort Lauderdale Executive 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 inadequate design of the engine mount by the manufacturer, resulting in collapse of the nose landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 2007 · about 5:37 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · Fort Lauderdale Executive · 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
- N4946R · no longer on the register · serial 4636131
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he confirmed all landing gears were down and locked before landing. After a reported normal touchdown, the airplane started veering to the left. He applied right rudder input but the airplane traveled off the runway onto grass, and collided with a runway light. The nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest upright. Examination of the airplane following recovery revealed the right two (2) piece foot was fractured at the nose landing gear actuator attach location. NTSB examination of the right foot revealed evidence of fatigue, which covered a 90-degree arc and approximately 55 percent of the .07 inch wall thickness of the foot. Service Bulletin (SB) 1103B, which is not mandatory for the operator of the accident aircraft and had not been complied with, calls for repetitive inspections of the engine mount for cracks in the area where the fatigue crack was located.
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: 2,435 hours in all; 643 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 2,435 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 923 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 4,318 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYAT Treasure Cay at 4:15 pm
- Destination: KFXE Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 5:39 pm from KFXE
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.