Piper PA 46 accident near Ottawa, Kansas, January 19, 2016
On January 19, 2016 at about 6:50 pm local time, a 1995 Piper PA 46, registered N113WB, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Ottawa, Kansas. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight crews encounter with un-forecasted freezing rain resulting in an uncontrolled descent, forced landing, and substantial damage to the airplane's firewall, and forward pressure bulkhead.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 2016 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Ottawa, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 46 350P, built 1995 · all PA 46s on the register
- Registration
- N113WB · no longer on the register · serial 4622193
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the flight instructor, he and the pilot rated student receiving instruction were operating under instrument flight rules in instrument meteorological conditions. He reported that throughout the flight the airplane accumulated light rime ice. He recalled that after holding at a Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Range (VOR), they completed a VOR approach, executed the missed approach procedure, set the power to climb at the airspeed of 130 knots indicated airspeed and began to climb to 5000 feet. He reported that as they climbed they encountered freezing rain, the airspeed began to deteriorate and the degree of ice accumulation increased from light to moderate. He reported that all of the airplane's de-ice systems were functioning yet he was not able to maintain altitude. He determined that landing at the destination airport was not an option and executed a forced landing in an open field. He affirmed that during the landing the airplane bounced several times before coming to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall, forward pressure bulkhead and puncture holes in the airplane skin. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
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
- Structural icing during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute (cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,985 hours in all; 290 in this make and model; 98 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 2,778 as pilot in command; 1,596 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 22, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,100.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: No Boundaries Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: IXD Olathe KS at 5:40 pm
- Destination: IXD Olathe KS
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from IXD, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.