Piper PA46 accident near Bandera, Texas, January 11, 2020
On January 11, 2020 at about 11:20 pm local time, a 2015 Piper PA46, registered N350XL, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Bandera, Texas. It was a personal 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 in-flight electrical fire, which resulted in smoke in the cabin and an emergency landing. Contributing to the accident was the unsuitable terrain for the emergency landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 2020 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Bandera, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA46 350P, built 2015 · all PA46s on the register
- Registration
- N350XL · registry record · serial 4636673
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During flight, the pilot observed a warning message on the primary flight display indicating “AVIFAN FAIL.” As he was trouble-shooting the electrical system, smoke began to enter the cabin from the front of the cockpit. The pilot suspected an electrical fire. He disconnected the autopilot, lowered the landing gear, and turned off the battery master switch. After he declared a “Mayday,” the pilot searched for the nearest airport, which was about 13-miles from his position. Smoke was still coming into the cabin, and the pilot's "eyes were burning." The pilot decided that he had to land the airplane without delay because of the potential fire. He decided to land the airplane in what appeared to be a flat field directly ahead. As the airplane approached the landing point, the pilot extended the first notch of flaps, the airplane crossed over a fence, and landed. The pilot immediately realized that the airplane was fast and on a collision course with another fence and trees, so he rotated the airplane and cleared the obstacles. He immediately turned the airplane to the right and landed the airplane on an adjacent roadway. Upon landing, the airplane hit a roadway signpost with the right wing and the airplane spun 90 degrees to the right, and came to rest with the nose against a roadway guardrail. The outboard section of the right wing sustained substantial damage. Detailed examination of the airplane’s electrical system revealed thermal damage and discoloration on a circuit board of one of the avionics cooling fans. The thermal damage to the fan circuit board would have likely produced smoke that would be irritating to the eyes, which was consistent with what the pilot reported. No other damage or electrical anomalies were found during the examination.
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
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during enroute (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Electrical power system › (general) › Malfunction
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 420 hours in all; 360 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 188 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 7, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 511 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 27, 2019; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,358 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A (piston); 517 hours total
- Operator: Mission Flight Charter Services Llc
The flight
- Departed from: SAT San Antonio TX at 10:20 pm
- Destination: SAT San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from SAT, 20 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
3 documents, released by the NTSB on February 23, 2022. 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 | NTSB Form 6120 Pilot Operator Report CEN20LA058 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for the Record Electrical System Examination Findings CEN20LA058 | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array CEN20LA058 | PDF, 2 pages | 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.