National Transportation Safety Board

Aviation Accident Preliminary Report

Location: Shreveport, LA Accident Number: CEN19FA088

Date & Time: 02/28/2019, 1039 CST Registration: N428CD
Aircraft: Piper PA46 Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

On February 28, 2019, about 1039 central standard time, a Piper PA46-350P airplane,
N428CD, impacted a river after departing from Shreveport Downtown Airport (DTN),
Shreveport, Louisiana. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured, and the airplane
was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to Lennard Properties LLC and was
being operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part
91 as a personal flight. The airplane departed on an instrument flight rules flight plan at 1037
during day instrument meteorological conditions, with a destination of Wilbarger Country
Airport (F05), Vernon, Texas.

The pilot and passenger were flying to a ranch near F05 for a hunting trip. According to
preliminary air traffic control (ATC) information, after departing from Runway 32 and
reaching 600 ft mean sea level (msl), ATC instructed the pilot to turn left to a heading of 270°
and continue climbing to 12,000 ft msl. The airplane turned left continuously for 740 degrees.
During this turn, after climbing steadily to 1,400 ft msl, the airplane's altitude began to
oscillate between 725 ft and 1,900 ft msl.

The airplane subsequently made a decelerating turn to the right and quickly descended, with
the last recorded ATC data indicating a groundspeed of 31 knots and an altitude of 575 ft msl.
The airplane impacted the Red River and came to rest about 17 ft below the river's surface.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Piper Registration: N428CD
Model/Series: PA46 350P Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: On file Operating Certificate(s) None
Held:

Page 1 of 2 CEN19FA088
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when
the final report has been completed.
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Instrument Conditions Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KDTN, 179 ft msl Observation Time: 1053 CST
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles Temperature/Dew Point: 7°C / 5°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 8 knots / , 320°
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 600 ft agl Visibility: 4 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.09 inches Hg Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Departure Point: Shreveport, LA (DTN) Destination: Vernon, TX (F05)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal Latitude, Longitude: 32.548611, -93.761389
Administrative Information
Investigator In Charge (IIC): Michael J Folkerts
Additional Participating Persons: John Shamblin; Flight Standards District Office; Baton Rouge, LA
Kathryn Whitaker; Piper Aircraft Inc; Vero Beach, FL
Note: The NTSB traveled to the scene of this accident.

Page 2 of 2 CEN19FA088
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when
the final report has been completed.