PA-46 Malibu Meridian
Flight Crew Private; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 91; Flight Crew Total 4009; Flight Crew Type 1110
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Ground Excursion Runway
Aircraft
Departed on an IFR flt plan; with a full load of fuel; only one soul on board.After normal preflight checks & run up; I departed. Upon running the 'after takeoff checklist' on the climb; I was cleared to 6000 ft; 280 heading & noticed nose gear indicator was red. I cycled the gear down; three green. I cycled gear up; nose gear indicator still red. There were no indications of any abnormal flight characteristics with this indicator light on. I continued up to FL200 while diagnosing if there were any other flight anomalies on the airplane; which there were not. At FL 200 I leveled off; and reach a cruise speed (TAS) of 255 knots and a GS of 215 knots into a 51 knot headwind. After consulting the cruise performance chart; I concluded that the gear must be up and stowed; and possibly this was an indicator light; or gear door adjustment issue. There was a gear door adjustment issue [months prior] on the right main gear. I decided that my best option was to continue to my destination so on landing I would be lighter with less fuel load if there was a problem with the gear.Normal operations for rest of the 1:38 minute flight. Enroute; I reviewed the POH emergency gear extension procedure; in case I didn't get three green when on the approach. I completed the pre landing check list; and at approximately 10 miles out; I lowered the gear and got three green. I chose not to use the emergency gear extension procedure as indications were normal; and I wanted the pumps added pressure to extend the gear to be more certain they were down and locked.  I entered the pattern at pattern altitude; left traffic. Wind was 310 at 9 kts. I landed just past the numbers on the mains w/ flaps at 35; approx. 59 kts. As I lowered the nose wheel I felt a shimmy; and as more weight came on nose gear; plane dove right. I applied full brakes and left rudder as much as I could; but could not keep plane from veering off runway. I exited aircraft after shutting down all systems; electrical main; and pulling emergency fuel handle to OFF.I could see on the runway; the tire marks from three tires; the mains; braking and the nose gear leaving one long dark rubber stripe. The nose gear had collapsed but the tire was on. It appeared the tire was in a 90 degree perpendicular position to the runway. This is the position of the tire when it stows in a gear up position; as it comes down; the wheel rotates 90 degrees to be in line with the main gear. There is no indicator; or visual way to know if the gear did or did not rotate 90 degrees on this Piper Meridian.  I suspected based on the tire marks I saw after exiting the airplane that the nose gear didn't rotate into the correct position; causing the veering of aircraft to the right.
PA-46 pilot reported losing control of aircraft on touchdown when nose gear contacted runway. Post flight analysis revealed nose tire had not rotated from the 90 degree perpendicular stowed position.