Piper PA-46-500TP Malibu Meridian, Wellsville, Mo., June 28, 2007 – All three occupants of the Meridian were killed when it broke up in flight in VMC near Wellsville. The turboprop took off from the Spirit of St. Louis Airport at 7:52 a.m. and was cleared to FL230. Radar contact was lost at about 8:15. The path of the wreckage was about four miles long. The inboard sections of the wing remained attached to the fuselage, and the rear fuselage and empennage were found a quarter of a mile from the forward fuselage. A depression above the cabin entrance door showed paint and media transfers consistent with the right wingtip color, the color of the fuel cap and the de-icing boot. The cabin window opening on the left side of the fuselage contained deformed sections of aluminum. The turboprop was registered to MCC Aviation, Rockford, Minn.