Piper PA-46-310P accident near Milaca, MN

On December 30, 2010, a Piper PA-46-310P (airplane) was involved in an accident near Milaca, MN. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.

Date

December 30, 2010

Place

Milaca, MN

Aircraft

Piper PA-46-310P · Airplane

Injuries

2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Substantial

Position

45.827°N, 93.714°W

NTSB ID

20101230X40808

Official records · CEN11FA133

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation

Air traffic control records

• ATC 3 - Air Traffic Control Specialists Report: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• ATC 3 - Attachment 1 - Flight Progress Strip: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• Air Traffic Control Communications: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On December 30, 2010, at 0958 central standard time, a Piper PA-46-310P, N9103N, collided with the terrain in Milaca, Minnesota, after the pilot reported the autopilot was no longer functioning and he was trying to recover from an unusual attitude. The private pilot, passenger, and a dog on board were fatally injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight was operating in instrument meteorological conditions. The pilot had filed and activated an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The flight departed from the Aitkin Municipal Airport (AIT), Aitkin, Minnesota, about 0930, and was en route to the Beaumont Municipal Airport (BMT), Beaumont, Texas. The pilot contacted the Minneapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center at 0928 requesting an IFR clearance to BMT. The pilot was cleared direct to BMT and given an initial departure altitude of 5,000 feet. Five minutes later, the pilot reported to air traffic control that he was passing through 2,200 feet climbing to 5,000 feet. The pilot was instructed to climb and maintain 8,000 feet. The pilot acknowledged the clearance and at this time radar showed the airplane was about eight miles south of AIT. The pilot was then issued a frequency change. The pilot checked-in on the new frequency reporting he was at 4,000 feet climbing to 8,000 feet. The air traffic controller instructed the pilot to climb and maintain 22,000 feet (flight level [FL] 220). The pilot acknowledged this clearance. At 0950, the controller instructed the pilot to maintain 17,000 feet

Probable cause

The pilot did not recover from an unusual attitude while operating in instrument meteorological conditions following a disconnect of the autopilot system for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s lack of recent flight experience and impairment due to diphenhydramine.

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Browse: Minnesota · Piper aircraft

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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.