Piper PA 46-350P accident near Flagstaff, Arizona, June 26, 2011
On June 26, 2011 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA 46-350P, registered N9246M, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Flagstaff, Arizona (Flagstaff Pulliam Airport). It was a personal 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
Fatigue failure of an engine mount attachment foot, which resulted in collapse of the nose landing gear during landing. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the owner/operator to adhere to the manufacturer's suggested engine mount inspection schedule.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 2011 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Flagstaff, Arizona · Flagstaff Pulliam Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 46-350P · all PA 46-350Ps on the register
- Registration
- N9246M · registry record · serial 4622149
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After touchdown, the airplane veered to the left when the nose gear was lowered to the runway. The pilot attempted to maintain directional control; however, the airplane continued to veer to the left and departed the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed that the nose landing gear had collapsed, and the engine mount was fractured at one of the two attachment feet for the nose landing gear actuator. Metallurgical examination of the fractured attachment foot revealed that it had failed as a result of fatigue cracking that initiated at the intersection of two welds that joined two of the engine mount’s support tubes to the right attachment foot. The fatigue cracking progressed along the toe of the weld that joined the forward support tube to the attachment foot. The location of the fatigue fracture was consistent with bending loads caused by a force directed aft by the nose gear actuator. About 9 years prior to the accident, the airframe manufacturer issued a service bulletin requiring an inspection of the engine mount attachment feet at the first regularly scheduled maintenance event after the engine mount reached 290 hours time-in-service and thereafter every 100 hours. If cracks were observed, a new engine mount must be installed. The service bulletin also states that, despite the replacement of the engine mount, the inspections should continue. As part of the inspection procedure, the paint is removed from and around the attachment feet. After the inspection is complete, the area is covered with a corrosion prevention compound. The airframe manufacturer considers performance of the service bulletin mandatory. On April 8, 2010, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued Safety Recommendation A-10-44, which asked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to require repetitive inspections of the engine mount feet. On December 22, 2011, based on the FAA’s response that the safety risk is not sufficient to warrant issuance of an airworthiness directive to require the repetitive inspections, the NTSB classified the recommendation Closed-Unacceptable Action. Review of the airframe maintenance records indicated the airplane’s total time at its most recent inspection was about 2,238 hours, and no entries were found indicating replacement of the engine mount or compliance with the manufacturer’s issued service bulletin. Additionally, paint was observed on and around the attachment feet, which indicates that the inspection had never been performed.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Failure
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Scheduled/routine inspection › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › Mounts › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,846 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 2,797 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 4, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,238 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 4, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VGT Las Vegas NV at 3:10 pm
- Destination: FLG Flagstaff AZ
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 21, 8,800 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 17 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 4:57 pm from FLG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR11LA313.