Piper Aircraft INC PA 46-350P accident near Port Aransas, Texas, March 14, 2021
On March 14, 2021 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 2008 Piper Aircraft INC PA 46-350P, registered N6074A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Port Aransas, Texas (Mustang Beach airport). 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 pilot’s failure to maintain proper airspeed on approach and his attempt to land on a wet runway with insufficient runway remaining, resulting in an overrun and loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 2021 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Port Aransas, Texas · Mustang Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper Aircraft INC PA 46-350P, built 2008
- Registration
- N6074A · no longer on the register · serial 4636451
- 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 was landing from an autopilot-coupled GPS approach when he noted that his airspeed over the runway numbers was 115 knots. The airplane floated over the wet runway touching down “just past the numbers”. The pilot applied full braking with over half of the runway remaining. The airplane slowed, but still slid off the end of the runway into the dirt. The airplane ground-looped, collapsing the left main landing gear and coming to a stop 180o facing the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The recommended approach speed for the airplane is 85 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 area overshoot during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Wet surface › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 103 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 10, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Flight time: 100 hours in all
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,679 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 20, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A (piston); 1,679 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FTW Fort Worth TX at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 12/3, 3,482 ft by 70 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from KRAS
Weather report (METAR): KRAS 141955Z AUTO 32017KT 10SM OVC005 16/15 A2994 RMK AO2 T01580148
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on July 15, 2021. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photographs | 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.
Other NTSB records under N6074A 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.