Piper PA46 accident near Grand Island, Nebraska, February 13, 2013
On February 13, 2013 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA46, registered N32CA, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) operating) near Grand Island, Nebraska (Central Nebraska Regional airport). 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 pilot's failure to maintain airplane control after engine start.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 2013 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Island, Nebraska · Central Nebraska Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA46 500TP · all PA46s on the register
- Registration
- N32CA · registry record · serial 4697216
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane began to roll forward about 1 minute after engine start and impacted a building. The pilot stated that, though the airplane slowed when he pumped the brakes several times, he could not stop it using both toe brakes. An employee of the fixed based operator who witnessed the accident stated that the airplane's propeller was operating "at high speed" as it moved forward into a grass area before impacting the building. The pilot reported that the engine was stopped before impact. Postaccident examination of the airplane braking system revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Available evidence suggests that the pilot did not reduce engine power and effectively apply the brakes in sufficient time to stop the airplane.
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
- Loss of control on ground during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during taxi
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,931 hours in all; 169 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 1,801 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 12, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,332 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 12, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 5,092 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-42A (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GRI Grand Island NE at 8:30 pm
- Destination: Denver CO
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 14 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from GRI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on December 19, 2013. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Witness Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation - FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.