What happened
On September 6, 2024, a Piper PA-46-350P, registration N629AG, was involved in an accident near Anderson, Indiana. The flight, operated under Part 91 regulations, departed Fort Dodge Regional Airport in Iowa and was proceeding toward Anderson Municipal Airport-Darlington Field (AID).
While established on a visual approach to runway 12, the pilot notified air traffic control at approximately 09:47 EDT that a go-around was necessary. Following the missed approach, the aircraft crossed the runway 12 threshold at an altitude of approximately 1,610 feet MSL. Shortly after, the aircraft began a gradual right turn. The final ADS-B data point recorded the aircraft at 2,185 feet MSL.
The aircraft crashed in a cornfield approximately one mile southeast of the departure end of runway 12. The impact resulted in 4 fatal injuries, involving the pilot and three passengers.
Witnesses at the scene provided varying accounts of the final moments. One observer noted the aircraft climbed above a tree line but then abruptly stopped climbing, rolled to the right, and entered a descent, noting the engine sounded as if it were at full power. A second witness reported hearing the engine rev up, decrease in power, and rev up again before the engine cut out.