Piper PA-46-310P accident near Atlanta, Georgia, October 11, 2007
On October 11, 2007 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-46-310P, registered N383SA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlanta, Georgia (Dekalb-Peachtree airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A misalignment of the nose landing gear wheel assembly 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
- October 11, 2007 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia · Dekalb-Peachtree · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46-310P · all PA-46-310Ps on the register
- Registration
- N383SA · registry record · serial 4608033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing with an approximate 50-degree crosswind from the left, between 6 to 17 knots, the airplane "...began to pull to the left violently and uncontrollably for no apparent reason," when the nose landing gear contacted the runway. The pilot applied right rudder to correct, but the airplane traveled off the left side of the runway onto the grass, and came to rest upright with the nose landing gear collapsed. Arching skid marks from the nose and right main landing gear tires were noted on the runway; the mark from the nose landing gear tire was significantly darker. Damage to the right side of the nose gear wheel was also noted. The right lug of the nose landing gear trunnion was fractured; however, no preexisting anomalies were noted during metallurgical examination. No discrepancies with the nose landing gear steering system were noted. Mechanical and operational issues (rudder input) can result in the nose gear tire not being aligned with the runway at touchdown. No determination could be made as to why the nose landing gear wheel assembly was not aligned with the runway at touchdown.
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: 456 hours in all; 121 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 373 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,503.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2006; 244.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,188 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-550-C1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AGS Augusta GA at 7:35 pm
- Destination: PDK Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 2R, 6,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from PDK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.