Socata TBM 700 accident near Harrisburg, Illinois, December 15, 2000
On December 15, 2000 at about 11:45 am local time, a Socata TBM 700, registered N45PM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Harrisburg, Illinois (Harrisburg-Raliegh airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot not attaining the proper glidepath on the instrument approach. The pilot's decision not to fly to an alternate airport and his decision to continue the approach in weather conditions below the published minimums were contributing factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 15, 2000 · about 11:45 am local time
- Place
- Harrisburg, Illinois · Harrisburg-Raliegh · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Socata TBM 700 · all TBM 700s on the register
- Registration
- N45PM · registry record · serial 62
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was damaged when it impacted the ground while performing a GPS approach in instrument weather conditions. The aircraft was on the third GPS approach attempt when the accident occurred. The pilot said that the runway, "...was sighted at about 3/4 of mile and [at] MDA. The [runway] lights were in sight and I had a good clear view of the [runway]... Everything looked fine visually until just before the accident. As we neared the [runway] it became apparent that the [runway] was rising in the window. I added power to stop the descent, however, there was a significant delay (much longer than normal) in the response of the engine. The engine finally spooled and at that moment a gust lifted the right wing and the left wing dropped, I corrected but there was not enough altitude and the left wing impacted the ground." The pilot said that he, "... had logged the engine parameters on this flight since the engine just had a compressor wash and everything indicated the engine was performing, as it should." The minimum descent altitude for the approach is 364 feet above the elevation of the airport. The Automated Weather Observing System at the destination airport recorded the sky condition as 200 feet overcast with a visibility of 1 1/2 statute miles. The winds were recorded as 080 degrees at 3 knots. No preexisting anomalies were found with respect to the aircraft.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,430 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 81 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 1,369 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,076 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 19, 2000; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,614 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-64 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WDR Winder GA at 10:00 am
- Destination: HSB
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 4,004 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 080° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 am from HSB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.