Piper PA-28-236 accident near Des Moines, Iowa, August 31, 2000
On August 31, 2000 at about 6:16 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-236, registered N451X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Des Moines, Iowa (Des Moines Int'L 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
A hydraulic fluid leak which resulted in a landing gear brake fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2000 · about 6:16 pm local time
- Place
- Des Moines, Iowa · Des Moines Int'L
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-236 · all PA-28-236s on the register
- Registration
- N451X · registry record · serial 28-7911129
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot experienced a left main gear brake fire while taxiing for takeoff. He reported that while taxing the airplane slowed "as if it were taxiing uphill, or a brake were dragging" so he added about 100 rpm of power to continue taxiing. The pilot reported, "When I attempted to set the brakes to check the engine and instruments, I found that I had no brakes." The pilot then requested a taxi clearance back to the fixed base operator on the airport to get the brakes checked. Another pilot on the same frequency announced to the pilot of N451X that his airplane was on fire. The pilot reported that he looked and saw dense, dark smoke coming from under the left wing. He shut down the engine, turned all switches off, and exited the airplane. The pilot reported the fire was in the area of the left landing gear almost directly under the left wing fuel tank. Hydraulic fluid was found on the ramp where the airplane had been parked for several days prior to the accident. The exact origin of the fluid leak could not be determined because of the extent of fire damage to the landing gear.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,709 hours in all; 225 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,602 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,889 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 28, 2000; 139 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DSM
- Destination: BMI Bloomington IL
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 196°F (91°C), dew point 154°F (68°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from DSM
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.