Piper PA46 accident near Ely, Minnesota, June 16, 2020
On June 16, 2020 at about 4:20 pm local time, a 2002 Piper PA46, registered N27RZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Ely, Minnesota (Ely Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing and the nose landing gear collapse during a gusty landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 2020 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Ely, Minnesota · Ely Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA46 350P, built 2002 · all PA46s on the register
- Registration
- N27RZ · registry record · serial 4636299
- 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 he encountered moderate to severe turbulence below 5,000 ft mean sea level while descending to land on runway 30. During the landing flare the left wing abruptly raised up. The airplane touched down hard and bounced. The airplane settled down, the nose wheel collapsed, and the airplane skidded to a stop. The engine mount sustained substantial damage. The prevailing wind was from 230° at 11 knots gusting to 15 knots.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Ability to respond/compensate
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,086.3 hours in all; 253 in this make and model; 3.8 in the last 90 days; 3.8 in the last 30 days; 208.6 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 5, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,009 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 4,299 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A (piston); 1,009 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNK Lincoln NE at 2:00 pm
- Destination: ELO Ely MN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 30, 5,596 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 11 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 11:36 am from ELO
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN20CA232.