Piper PA 46 accident near Pflugerville, Texas, March 20, 2016
On March 20, 2016 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 2010 Piper PA 46, registered N975MA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Pflugerville, Texas (Austin Executive airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing touchdown in gusty crosswind conditions, which resulted in runway excursion, and nose gear collapse.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 2016 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pflugerville, Texas · Austin Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 46 350P, built 2010 · all PA 46s on the register
- Registration
- N975MA · registry record · serial 4636475
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during touch down in gusty crosswind conditions, the airplane veered off the runway to the left. He further reported when he corrected to get back onto the runway the nose gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal 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
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,206 hours in all; 730 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,171 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 22, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 773 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 5, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 4,340 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A (piston); 770 hours total
- Operator: Southworth Aircraft INC,
The flight
- Departed from: TUP Tupelo MS at 1:30 pm
- Destination: EDC Pflugerville TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 6,025 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 15 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.46 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from KEDC
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.
Other NTSB records under N975MA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.