Piper PA-46-500TP accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota, January 19, 2004
On January 19, 2004 at about 7:34 pm local time, a Piper PA-46-500TP, registered N1968W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota (Flying Cloud 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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 2004 · about 7:34 pm local time
- Place
- Minneapolis, Minnesota · Flying Cloud · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46-500TP · all PA-46-500TPs on the register
- Registration
- N1968W · registry record · serial 4697115
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was substantially damaged during a gear up forced landing after takeoff. The pilot reported that everything was normal during the preflight and engine run-up. The pilot reported that after being cleared for takeoff, he advanced the throttle to 1,270 pounds of torque before releasing the brakes and everything was normal. He stated that upon reaching 85 knots he rotated, achieved a positive rate of climb, and retracted the landing gear. The pilot continued, "Just after the wheels were up the engine shuddered with a very substantial loss of power. It felt like a car that was hitting on half its cylinders." He stated he brought the power back to idle and focused on getting the airplane back on the runway. The pilot reported that after the airplane touched down he "pulled the emergency fuel cutoff." The airplane traveled straight ahead, crossed a taxiway, and came to rest about 100 yards past the taxiway. The pilot then shut off the battery and exited the airplane via the rear door. The airplane had a total of 183 hours since new. The pilot reported having a propeller overspeed warning during the flight previous of the accident flight. The tach generator was replaced after this incident. The tach generator that was removed was tested and no discrepancies were found. A tear down inspection on the engine failed to reveal any malfunctions/failures which would have resulted in the loss of power. Both the primary and overspeed propeller governors were removed from the engine and tested. A visual inspection of the primary governor revealed lockwire found on the airbleed system reset-eccentric screw was non-standard for Woodward and the torque sealant had been removed. A visual inspection of the overspeed governor revealed the inside of the speed setting hex screw did not contain any torque sealant. The sealant on the outside threads of the screw was cracked near the base of the screw and the housing. Bench testing of both the primary and overspeed governors revealed the overspeed governor was set to a lower rpm than the primary governor. Therefore, the overspeed governor would have been controlling the system. Manufacturing flight test documents indicate four occasions when the maximum reverse rpm was adjusted. Flight tests conducted with the governors calibrated to the settings at the time of the accident were conducted. Data from the flight tests indicate the propeller rpm was limited between 96-97% and that changes in the rpm stabilized within seconds.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 765 hours in all; 102 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 699 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 13, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 182 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 23, 2003; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,092 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-42A (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FCM Minneapolis MN at 7:34 pm
- Destination: FSD Sioux Falls SD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28R, 3,599 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 9°F (-13°C), dew point -8°F (-22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from FCM
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.