Piper PA46 accident near Aurora, Oregon, February 6, 2019
On February 6, 2019 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1997 Piper PA46, registered N997MA, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Aurora, Oregon (Aurora State Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering for landing during a simulated power-off approach and landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of control and the flight instructor’s failure to adequately monitor the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 6, 2019 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Aurora, Oregon · Aurora State Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA46 350P, built 1997 · all PA46s on the register
- Registration
- N997MA · registry record · serial 4636126
- 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 the purpose of the instructional flight was to practice commercial pilot maneuvers. He and the instructor returned to the airport at the conclusion of the flight and discussed how to conduct a power-off 180° approach and landing. When the airplane was abeam the 1,000-foot markings on the runway, the pilot reduced engine power to idle and started a left turn toward the runway. He stated that he realized the airplane was “probably not going to make the runway” and that the airplane was “not on final course.” He recalled the airplane turning sharply to the left as he pulled up on the control yoke and added right rudder. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane. A video of the event showed the airplane in a left turn as it descended toward the runway. The airplane’s left bank decreased to a wings-level attitude before the airplane entered a steeper left bank, followed immediately by a right bank as the airplane descended into the ground short of the runway. Both the pilot's description and the video are consistent with the pilot exceeding the airplane’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering toward the runway, resulting in an aerodynamic stall, loss of control, and impact with terrain.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR pattern final)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 970 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 865 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,670 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 4,299 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UAO Aurora OR at 10:30 pm
- Destination: UAO Aurora OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 5,003 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,900 ft; clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.32 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from UAO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
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 WPR19TA085.