# Accident 20200303007099A: Piper PA-46-310P, Bishop, GA, March 3, 2020 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 3, 2020, 16:34 local time - Place: Bishop, GA - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.8567° N, 83.4864° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8567&lon=-83.4864&mi=10 - Aircraft: N43368, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N43368) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-46-310P (registry code 7104605, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-310p) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental TSIO-520 series (registry code 17040, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-46-310P - People aboard: 3 - Fatal injuries: 3 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 1,181 total, 293 in this make and model, 59 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA20FA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20FA118) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200303007099A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. AT APPROXIMATELY 1529 EST, 03/03/2020, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, HOLDER OF PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE NUMBER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, DEPARTED COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN AIRPORT, KCAE, FOR TUSCALOOSA NATIONAL AIRPORT, KTCL, WITH TWO PASSENGERS ONBOARD. N43368 WAS IN COMMUNICATION WITH ATLANTA APPROACH, WHILE ENROUTE FROM KCAE TO KTCL, DURING THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ALONG THE ROUTE AND TO THE NORTH, WAS A LINE OF WEATHER THAT N43368 WAS ATTEMPTING TO PASS THOUGH. ATLANTA APPROACH ADVISED N43368 IN ABOUT EIGHT MILES HE WOULD TURN NORTH THROUGH A GAP OF LIGHT PRECIPITATION AND TO EXPECT ON COURSE WHEN THEY WERE NORTH OF THE LINE OF WEATHER. ATLANTA APPROACH ISSUED N43368 TO FLY HEADING 300, TO WHICH N43368 EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE HEADING OF 300 WOULD PUT THEM IN AN AREA OF BUILDING WEATHER.ATLANTA APPROACH ADVISED N43368 THAT THEY WOULD KEEP THEM SOUTH OF THE HEAVY PRECIPITATION OFF THEIR RIGHT AND IN ABOUT EIGHT MILES TO EXPECT A TURN TO THE NORTH THROUGH THE AREA OF LIGHT PRECIPITATION APPROXIMATELY THREE MILES WIDE. N43368 AGAIN STATED THAT THE AREA OF PRECIPITATION LOOKED LIKE IT WAS FILLING IN FAST. ATLANTA APPROACH ADVISED N43368 THAT IF THEY DID NOT WANT TO GO THAT WAY THEN THEY COULD EXPECT A TURN SOUTHBOUND TO GO SOUTH OF ATLANTA. N43368 ADVISED ATLANTA APPROACH THAT THEY WOULD TURN TO THE RIGHT, AT WHICH POINT THEY INITIATED A TURNED TO THE RIGHT. ATLANTA APPROACH INSTRUCTED THEM TO FLY HEADING 300 TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE MODERATE PRECIPITATION. N43368 ADVISED ATLANTA APPROACH THAT THEY HAVE A GAP IN THE WEATHER THAT THEY COULD GO STRAIGHT THROUGH. THE CONTROLLER ACKNOWLEDGED N43368 AND ADVISES THEM AN AREA OF MODERATE PRECIPITATION BEGINNING IN ONE MILE AND EXTENDING FOUR MILES NORTHBOUND. N43368 CLIMBED TO 6,400 FEET AND THEN STARTED A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN. WHEN N43368 DESCENDED THROUGH 5,700 FEET, THE CONTROLLER ASKED N43368 FOR THEIR FLIGHT CONDITIONS, TO WHICH THEY RESPONDED ?RAIN 368?. ATLANTA APPROACH ADVISED N43368 THAT THEY OBSERVED THEM IN A RIGHT TURN EASTBOUND AND TO VERIFY, TO WHICH N43368 DOES NOT RESPONSE. ATLANTA APPROACH MAKES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO REESTABLISH CONTACT BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE MAIN WRECKAGE OF N43368 CAME TO REST IN A WOODED AREA NEAR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, BISHOP GEORGIA. A DEBRIS FIELD WAS LOCATED EXTENDED SOUTH, SOUTHEAST FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE IMPACT SITE APPROXIMENTLY ONE HALF MILE. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ERA20FA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20FA118), Mar 3, 2020: Piper PA46 (N43368), Bishop, GA, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s encounter with a rain shower updraft and severe turbulence, which resulted in a loss of airplane control and an inflight breakup. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s reliance on… ## Other reports on N43368 (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20100220028029I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100220028029I), Feb 20, 2010: Piper PA-46-310P (N43368), Nashville, TN, Minor damage. During cruise flight, the pilot got an alternator warning light. The pilot reset the breaker warning light was still illuminated. At this time an elctrical… - [Incident 19910427012899I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910427012899I), Apr 27, 1991: Piper PA46310P (N43368), Pendleton, IN, Minor damage. Aircraft failed to gain airspeed or altitude after liftoff. Aborted and ran off end of runway. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.