Piper PA-46-350P accident near Hartford, Connecticut, December 22, 2004
On December 22, 2004 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-46-350P, registered N714KL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hartford, Connecticut (Hartford Brainard Airport). It was a flight test 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 failure to maintain adequate clearance from trees during the approach to the runway. A factor related to the accident was the nighttime conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 22, 2004 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hartford, Connecticut · Hartford Brainard 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
- N714KL · registry record · serial 46-36328
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the airplane was approaching the airport in nighttime conditions, the passenger alerted the pilot that they were low, and he subsequently lost visual contact with the runway. The airplane then impacted trees located about 2 miles from the runway threshold. The pilot continued the approach, and landed uneventfully. Examination of the airplane revealed spar damage to the leading edge of the left wing, and damage to the left landing gear door, the left flap, and the left horizontal stabilizer. The left wing outboard recognition light was also damaged, and the light fixture cavity contained numerous tree buds.
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
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH OBJECT during landing
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, APLN, none
- Flight time: 2,002 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 25 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 260 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, June 1, 2004; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: HFD Hartford CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 4,417 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°C, dew point 25°C
- Altimeter: 30.280001 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from HFD, 2 miles away
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 NYC05LA040.