Date & Time:
Feb 6, 2019 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-46 Malibu Meridian (Malibu Mirage)
Operator:
Registration:
N997MA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
46-36126
YOM:
1997
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On February 6, 2019, about 1530 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-46-350P airplane, N997MA, collided with terrain while on short final approach to the Aurora State Airport (UAO), Aurora, Oregon. The private pilot and certified flight instructor were seriously injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage throughout. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provision of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight that departed about 1430. The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to practice commercial pilot maneuvers. After practicing slow flight, chandelles, lazy eights, and eights on pylons with no issue, they returned to the airport. The flight instructor and he talked through how to conduct a practice power-off 180° landing as they entered the traffic pattern. When the airplane was abeam the 1,000 foot runway markings, the pilot reduced the power to idle and started a left turn toward the runway. He stated that he realized the airplane was probably not going to make the runway; he last recalls the airplane turning sharply to the left, as he was pulling on the control yoke, and adding right rudder input.
