Piper PA 46-350P accident near Chico, Texas, May 8, 2011
On May 8, 2011 at about 1:08 am local time, a Piper PA 46-350P, registered N80JB, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Chico, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The mechanic's improper installation of the turbocharger's exhaust balance system, which resulted in an in-flight fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 2011 · about 1:08 am local time
- Place
- Chico, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 46-350P · all PA 46-350Ps on the register
- Registration
- N80JB · no longer on the register · serial 4622156
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While en route to the destination airport, the pilot noted fluctuation in the engine speed. He diverted to a nearby airport and detected smoke, which increased in intensity. While performing an emergency landing to a highway, the airplane's nose landing gear would not extend. The pilot landed the airplane, which slid to a halt. A postaccident examination revealed thermal distortion to the airplane's nose gear door, which impeded normal operation of the nose landing gear. Clamps on the turbocharger's intermediate exhaust crossover tube were found to be unsecured, which would allow exhaust gases to damage the engine's accessories. The examination also found signatures of thermal distress to the fuel flow transducer and fuel flow transducer line. The unsecured clamps and heat signatures were consistent with exhaust gases compromising the fuel flow transducer line, which resulted in a source of ignition and fuel for the in-flight fire. No additional preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures were found that would have precluded normal operation. A review of maintenance logbooks noted that a propeller strike had occurred about 3 months before the accident and that repairs were completed about 1 month later, when the engine, including the turbocharger, was removed, cleaned, and inspected. The airplane had flown about 4 hours since the repair.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Landing gear not configured during landing (landing roll)
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Turbocharging (recip only) › (general) › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › (general) › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,090 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 89 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 6,434 as pilot in command; 2,790 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 23, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,418 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 10, 2011; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
- Operator: Christian Air Brotherhood LLC
The flight
- Departed from: AFW Fort Worth TX
- Destination: CWC Wichita Falls TX
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observation at 1:15 am from XBP, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N80JB the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.