# Accident 20240512005699A: Piper PA46-500TP, Marianna, AR, May 12, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 12, 2024, 20:58 local time
- Place: Marianna, AR
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.6615° N, 90.5965° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6615&lon=-90.5965&mi=10
- Aircraft: N241PM, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N241PM) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA46-500TP (registry code 7104622, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa46-500tp) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A series (registry code 52032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA46-500TP
- Reported engine: P&W PT6A SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN24FA179](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24FA179) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240512005699A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON MAY 12, 2024, ABOUT 1956 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA46-500TP ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR MARIANNA, ARKANSAS. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED AS A PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT.

THE PILOT FILED AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN FROM THE PENSACOLA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (PNS) TO BATESVILLE REGIONAL AIRPORT (BVX) THE FLIGHT DEPARTED PNS ABOUT 1721 AND CLIMBED TO FLIGHT LEVEL (FL) 280. THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT PLAN SHOWED DIRECT BVX.  AT ABOUT 1945, THE PILOT REQUESTED A LOWER ALTITUDE FROM ATC AND BEGAN A DESCENT OUT OF FL 280. ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A RAPID DESCENT AND SPIRALING RIGHT TURN, WITH A CALCULATED DESCENT RATE EXCEEDING 17,000 FT PER MINUTE. THE AIRPLANE’S FUSELAGE CAME TO REST IN AN OPEN FIELD WEST OF CANNON LAKE IN LEE COUNTY ARKANSAS.

THE WRECKAGE SHOWS A FINAL HEADING OF 10 DEGREES. THE LEFT WING WAS DETACHED AT THE WING ROOT AND WAS FOUND NEAR THE FUSELAGE IN TWO PIECES. THE INBOARD PORTION OF THE LEFT WING WAS FOUND ABOUT 30 FT WEST OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE WITH EVIDENCE OF FUEL REMAINING, AND THE OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE LEFT WING WAS FOUND ABOUT 80 FT NORTH OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THE INBOARD PORTION OF THE RIGHT WING WAS FOUND PARTIALLY UNDER THE FUSELAGE. THE ENGINE WAS ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE MOUNT AND EMBEDDED IN THE GROUND.

THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, VERTICAL STABILIZER, RUDDER, ELEVATOR, RIGHT AILERON, RIGHT FLAP, AND THE OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE RIGHT WING WERE NOT LOCATED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. A SEARCH FOR THE MISSING COMPONENTS UTILIZING A STATE POLICE DRONE WAS CONDUCTED.

FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE WITH THE CONDITION OF THE WRECKAGE. NO OBVIOUS DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND. THE ENGINE WAS EMBEDDED IN SOFT MUD AND REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE MOUNT. ALL FOUR PROPELLER BLADES REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE PROPELLER HUB. THE BLADES EXHIBITED A FORWARD BENDING INDICATING THE ENGINE WAS PRODUCING POWER AT IMPACT. THE LANDING GEAR WAS FOUND IN THE RETRACTED POSITION. THE PITOT HEAT SWITCH IN THE OVERHEAD SWITCH PANEL WAS FOUND IN THE ON POSITION. BOTH PITOT TUBES WERE TESTED, AND PRODUCED HEAT WHEN AN ELECTRICAL SOURCE WAS APPLIED.

THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED TO A SECURE FACILITY FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION BY NTSB AND PIPER INSPECTORS

## 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 CEN24FA179](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24FA179), May 13, 2024: Piper PA46-500TP (N241PM), Marianna, AR, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s design limitations, which resulted in an in-flight breakup.

## Other reports on N241PM (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20180810010659I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180810010659I), Aug 10, 2018: Piper PA46-500TP (N241PM), Pensacola, FL, Minor damage. The aircraft landed and veered right, pilot corrected to the left and the aircraft veered back to the right and stopped near the north edge of the runway. The…

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.

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