Piper PA46 accident near Henderson, Texas, September 25, 2025
On September 25, 2025 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 2000 Piper PA46, registered N388TW, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Henderson, Texas (Rusk County 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 extend the main landing gear prior to landing, which resulted in a gear up landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distraction during the approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 2025 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Henderson, Texas · Rusk County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA46 500TP, built 2000 · all PA46s on the register
- Registration
- N388TW · registry record · serial 4697018
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the descent to the destination airport, the pilot noticed that another airplane had departed from the runway and was climbing to enter the traffic pattern. The pilot decided to extend his traffic pattern entry to visually observe the other airplane and to provide separation so he could land. During this time, the main landing gear warning horn activated due to the engine power reduction that occurred, and the pilot then activated the main landing gear warning horn mute switch. The other airplane performed a touch and go, the pilot forgot to extend the main landing gear, and the pilot proceeded to land the airplane. During the gear up landing to the dry asphalt runway, the airplane departed the runway to the right, impacted two runway signs, and came to rest upright on a flat grass field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the underside of the fuselage. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further reported that he should have performed a final landing check on short final and that he allowed the avoidance of the other airplane to distract him from his normal landing procedures and flow.
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 not configured during landing defining event
- Miscellaneous/other during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Evacuation during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private, remote
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: unmanned (suas)
- Flight time: 3,611.4 hours in all; 1,070.5 in this make and model; 47.3 in the last 90 days; 4.3 in the last 30 days; 3,546.4 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 26, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,375.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 25, 2025; 74.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,892 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42A (turboprop); 2,451 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F46 Rockwall TX at 4:00 pm
- Destination: RFI Henderson TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17/3, 4,005 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 am from KRFI, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KRFI 251555Z AUTO 35005KT 10SM CLR 28/18 A3007 RMK AO2 T02760176
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of the left side of the airplane at the accident site
Photograph 2 – View of the right side of the airplane at the accident site
Photograph 3 – View of the underside of the fuselage inside of a hangar
Photograph 4 – View of the underside of the fuselage inside of a hangarThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on October 23, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Flight ADS-B Data - Google Earth Pro File (.Kmz) | map file | Download |
| 4 | Accident Flight ADS-B Data - Microsoft Excel File (.Xlsx) | spreadsheet | Download |
| 5 | Piper - PA-46-500TP Pilot's Operating Handbook/airplane Flight Manual Excerpts | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Piper - Service Bulletin 1095 Information | PDF, 4 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.