Piper PA-32-300 accident near North Platte, Nebraska, August 21, 2000
On August 21, 2000 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N4256R, was substantially damaged in an accident near North Platte, Nebraska (North Platte Regional 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 brake fire while taxiing for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 2000 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- North Platte, Nebraska · North Platte Regional
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N4256R · no longer on the register · serial 32-40627
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage from a brake fire while taxiing. The pilot was uninjured. The pilot stated, "After crossing the active it is about 1.5 miles to the end of the taxiway. Taxing down to the end I would have to push the brakes every once in a while to keep at a slow taxi. The rpms were less than 1000. ... Set my parking brake, and proceeded with the run up. When I was checking for the controls were free and clear I noticed a little smoke coming from underneath the left wing. I then proceeded to shut off the aircraft and got out and looked at what was wrong. There was smoke coming from the wheel area. [A]fter about 30 seconds it turned into a small fire on the disk brakes. I got on the radio and called for help and got right back out of the plane. ... It took roughly 10 minutes for someone to show up. The first one on the scene was a worker with a pickup. He had a fire extinguisher with him and that put it out. ... My 180 has the same brake system setup as the Cherokee 6. I fly sometimes 3-4 times a week. I have accumulated a lot of hours in a short time. Even though I have had my license for less than a year I believe I did nothing wrong in this case." The airplane's brake system was examined and no anomalies were found.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 126 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,682 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 19, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: LXN Lexington NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 167°F (75°C), dew point 145°F (63°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from LBF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.