Piper PA-46-350P accident near Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, August 6, 2006
On August 6, 2006 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-46-350P, registered N9227U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bellefonte, Pennsylvania (Belefonte Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Improper maintenance of the throttle linkage, which resulted in a lack of engine power during takeoff. Factors were the pilot's premature retraction of the flaps, an improper elevator trim setting, a high gross takeoff weight, and a high density altitude; which resulted in settling during the initial climb and a subsequent emergency landing after takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 2006 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bellefonte, Pennsylvania · Belefonte Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46-350P · all PA-46-350Ps on the register
- Registration
- N9227U · no longer on the register · serial 4622101
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airport elevation was 1,071 feet msl, and the density altitude at the time of the accident was approximately 2,487 feet msl. During a high gross weight normal takeoff procedure, from a 3,640-foot-long asphalt runway, at 79 degrees F., the airplane became airborne at 80 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS). The nose rose higher than needed, most likely due to elevator trim setting, which required the pilot to push forward on the yoke. The airplane accelerated to 90 knots, but did not initially climb out of ground effect, and then began a very slow climb. During the slow climb, the pilot elected to "clean up" the airplane by retracting the landing gear and the 10 degrees of flap extension. The airplane subsequently sank at the end of the runway, and the pilot decided to abort the takeoff. A test run of the engine revealed that it was producing about 4.5 percent less than the maximum Brake Horsepower (BHP). Examination of the engine revealed that the throttle adjustment was not correct, per a manufacturer service instruction. During a recent annual inspection, the throttle was adjusted, but there was no record of the manufacturer service instruction being utilized. Although the make and model airplane flight manual (AFM) checklist did not specify climb performance with regards to flap retraction during a normal takeoff, the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook suggested that the flaps should be retracted once a positive rate of climb is established. For short field takeoffs, the Airplane Flying Handbook stated that the flaps and landing gear should remain the takeoff position until clear of obstacles and Vy has been established. When the Vy has stabilized, the gear and then the flaps should be retracted. It advised to raise the flaps in increments to avoid sudden loss of lift and settling of the airplane. The Vy for the accident airplane was 110 knots.
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: 1,136 hours in all; 93 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,016 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,785 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2006; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: N96 Bellefonte PA at 3:30 pm
- Destination: ERI Erie PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25, 3,640 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 3:43 pm from UNV, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.