Accident Overview
On September 6, 2024, at approximately 0948 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-46-350P, registration N629AG, was destroyed in an accident near Anderson, Indiana. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot, two pilot-rated passengers, and one passenger sustained fatal injuries.
Flight History
According to Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) data, the flight departed Fort Dodge Regional Airport (FOD) in Fort Dodge, Iowa, at 0647 central daylight time. The airplane proceeded east-southeast toward Anderson Municipal Airport-Darlington Field (AID), climbing to flight level (FL) 210, corresponding to a pressure altitude of 21,000 feet. Around 0921, the pilot initiated a descent from FL210.
At about 0943, the Indianapolis approach controller instructed the pilot to descend to 3,000 feet msl and advised of an expected visual approach to runway 12. The flight was approximately 13 miles west-northwest of AID at 7,000 feet msl. About three minutes later, the pilot reported the airport in sight, and the controller cleared the flight for a visual approach. At that time, the airplane was about 4 miles west-northwest of AID at 3,600 feet msl.
Go-Around and Descent
At 0947:16, when the flight was 0.9 miles west of the runway and about 1,985 feet msl, the pilot informed the controller of a need to go around. The controller cancelled the approach clearance and instructed the pilot to turn right to a heading of 180° and climb to 3,000 feet msl. The airplane continued toward the airport, crossing the runway 12 threshold at 0947:38 at about 1,610 feet msl (730 feet agl). The flight track drifted slightly north-northeast of the runway centerline. At 0948:30, the airplane began a gradual right turn at an altitude of about 2,060 feet msl, approximately 0.60 miles southeast of the departure end of runway 12. The final ADS-B data point was recorded at 0948:55 at 2,185 feet msl (1,349 feet agl).
Witness Observations
A witness located about one-quarter mile from the accident site observed the airplane climb above a tree line. Shortly afterward, the airplane stopped climbing abruptly, rolled to the right, and entered a descent. The engine was loud and sounded as if it was "really revving" and seemed to be wide open.
A second witness, about one-eighth mile from the accident site, reported hearing the engine rev up, decrease, and then rev up again before cutting out. No impact sound was heard.
Wreckage and Impact
The accident site was in a corn field about 1 mile southeast of the departure end of runway 12, at an elevation of 923 feet. This location was about 547 feet southwest of the final ADS-B data point. The airplane came to rest upright on a northeast heading, with a debris area extending about 50 feet southwest from the initial impact. The airframe was fragmented, and portions were consumed by a postimpact fire. The engine and forward fuselage were adjacent to a 4-foot diameter impact crater. All three propeller blades were separated at the blade roots near the crater. The cockpit area was about 12 feet from the forward fuselage, and the wings and center fuselage were about 15 feet from the cockpit debris. The aft fuselage and empennage were adjacent to the wings. Both main landing gear struts were extended; the nose landing gear was separated.
Major airframe structural components were located at the site, with portions consumed by fire. Flight control surfaces, including both wing flaps, either remained attached or were within the debris path. The wing flap actuator was not observed, and the flap position could not be determined. Examination of available wreckage found no evidence of inflight structural failure. The airplane was retained by the NTSB for further examination.
The airplane was equipped with a Garmin G1000 system, but a flight data card was not located at the site, nor is it known if a card was installed. A damaged Appareo Stratus 2S unit was recovered and sent to the NTSB recorder lab for evaluation.