Socata TBM700 accident near Wichita, Kansas, January 19, 2016
On January 19, 2016 at about 6:31 pm local time, a 2015 Socata TBM700, registered N602MA, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (IFR final approach) near Wichita, Kansas (Colonel James Jabara airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 the minimum-recommended approach airspeed in icing conditions, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 2016 · about 6:31 pm local time
- Place
- Wichita, Kansas · Colonel James Jabara · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Socata TBM700, built 2015 · all TBM700s on the register
- Registration
- N602MA · no longer on the register · serial 1086
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was conducting an instrument flight rules business flight to an uncontrolled airport with forecast and reported moderate icing conditions. The pilot reported that he activated the deice systems and then executed an instrument landing system approach to the airport with the autopilot connected. While descending through about 1,200 ft above ground level, the pilot extended the landing gear and lowered the flaps to the takeoff setting and subsequently noticed the airplane shudder. Flight data from the airplane's avionics display revealed that the pilot continued the approach, and while on short final, he retarded the throttle toward idle and then disconnected the autopilot. While approaching the runway threshold, the pilot allowed the airspeed to decrease below the Pilot's Operating Handbook's (POH) minimum-recommended approach speed for icing conditions. The airplane's descent rate then increased, and the airplane banked left. The pilot subsequently applied full throttle, and the airplane impacted the ground 1,463 ft short of the runway threshold, skidded 460 ft, hit a hole, and nosed over. At the accident site, significant ice accumulation was noted on both of the wings and the stabilizer, including ice buildup aft of the deice boots. Weather data indicated that the flight encountered areas of freezing drizzle and supercooled liquid water. Given this evidence, the airplane likely encountered severe (rather than the forecast moderate) in-flight icing conditions during the approach that exceeded the airplane's anti-ice systems' capabilities and led to the pilot's loss of airplane control. Given the icing conditions, the pilot should have maintained the POH's minimum-recommended approach speed for icing conditions.
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
- Structural icing during approach (IFR final approach)
- Loss of lift during approach (IFR final approach)
- Loss of control in flight during approach (IFR final approach) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › (general) › Capability exceeded
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,105 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 59 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 962 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 8, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 75 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 7,394 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt And Whitney PT6A-66D (turboprop); 75 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ICL Clarinda IA at 5:37 pm
- Destination: AAO Wichita KS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 6,101 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 700 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 12:39 pm from KAAO, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.