Accident Overview
On May 12, 2024, about 1956 central daylight time, a Piper PA46-500TP airplane, registration N241PM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Marianna, Arkansas. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
Flight History
The pilot filed an instrument flight rules flight plan from Pensacola International Airport (PNS), Pensacola, Florida, to Batesville Regional Airport (BVX), Batesville, Arkansas. According to flight track data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the flight departed PNS about 1721, turned northwest, and climbed to flight level (FL) 280. The airplane’s course was a direct line to BVX. About 1945, the pilot began a descent out of FL 280. About 1955, the airplane entered a rapid descent and spiraling right turn. The airplane’s last observed track was at 1956:12, with a calculated descent rate during the final portion of the turn exceeding 17,000 feet per minute. The fuselage came to rest about 0.1 nautical mile northwest of the last recorded position.
While descending through FL 240, the pilot reported continuous moderate chop to air traffic control. A simultaneous loss of communication and radar contact occurred at 7,800 feet. An alert notification (ALNOT) was issued at 2006. The wreckage was located about 2300 in a sparsely populated agricultural area.
Wreckage Examination
The fuselage came to rest on a 010° heading. The left wing was detached at the wing root and found in two pieces near the fuselage. The inboard portion of the left wing was found about 30 feet at 281° from the main wreckage, and the outboard portion about 80 feet at 353°. The inboard portion of the right wing was fractured at the wing root and partially under the fuselage. The engine was attached to the engine mount and embedded in the ground. An odor consistent with jet fuel was present.
Several components were not located at the accident site, including the left horizontal stabilizer, vertical stabilizer, rudder, elevator, right aileron, right flap, and the outboard portion of the right wing. A search with a state police drone found no additional components; further searches are underway.
The main spar box structure was separated at the left and right wing roots and pushed aft on the right side during impact. The spar box displayed upward U-shaped bending of about 12 inches along the outboard span of each side, consistent with positive loading. Black witness marks consistent with leading edge wing de-ice boots were found on the right side of the aft fuselage.
Flight control continuity was established to the extent possible, and all observed separations were consistent with impact or overload damage. No anomalies were found with the flight control system. The engine exhibited torsional buckling of the exhaust duct consistent with torque production. All four propeller blades remained attached to the hub, showing bending progression from forward to aft in the direction of rotation and rotational scoring and polishing, consistent with thrust production. The landing gear was retracted, and the flap actuator indicated a retracted flap position. The pitot heat switch was in the ON position, and both pitot tubes produced heat when tested. Two small dogs reported on board were not located.
Weather Conditions
A review of weather data indicated that Graphical Airman's Meteorological Information (G-AIRMET) for occasional moderate turbulence between FL 210 and FL 410 was depicted over northeast Arkansas and Tennessee. Convective Significant Meteorological Information (SIGMET) had been issued for an area of embedded thunderstorms over extreme southern Arkansas, western Mississippi, Louisiana, and eastern Texas. Weather soundings showed strong vertical wind shears between 24,000 and 12,000 feet mean sea level, with a high possibility of moderate or greater turbulence around the accident time.