CEN26LA100

On January 24, 2026, about 0712 central daylight time, a Piper PA-46-350P airplane, N91MK, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Sioux City, Iowa. The pilot and passenger were uninjured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that after the initial climb and immediately after leveling off at 2,500 ft mean sea level, he felt the airplane make two “thugs” and observed the manifold pressure fluctuate. He subsequently observed a drop in engine oil pressure. He stated that he told the Air Traffic Control tower controller that he was going to turn back toward the airport. Once the airplane was on a north heading, a loud “boom” was heard, and a subsequent loss of engine power occurred. The pilot executed a forced landing to a field. During the forced landing, the airplane’s engine and left wing impacted terrain and were separated. The forward fuselage and right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated that on a previous flight, four days before the accident flight, a similar “thug” was observed, but it did not result in any other abnormal indications. The wreckage was retained for further examination.