Piper PA-46-310P accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona, April 26, 2003
On April 26, 2003 at about 7:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-46-310P, registered N189ET, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona (Grand Canyon National Park Air airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The out of rig condition of the landing gear control linkages, which prevented the on-ground antiretraction safety device from working. Also causal was the pilot's inadvertent movement of the gear selector to the up position while taxiing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 2003 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Canyon, Arizona · Grand Canyon National Park Air · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46-310P · all PA-46-310Ps on the register
- Registration
- N189ET · no longer on the register · serial 46-8408026
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot inadvertently raised the landing gear lever during taxi. The pilot reported that while taxiing after a good approach and landing, he raised the flaps, lowered the speed brakes, turned off the landing lights, and switched off the transponder. After the lever was raised, both the nose and right main landing gear collapsed immediately. The airplane came to rest on the left main gear, nose, and right wing. The systems description section of the Federal Aviation Administration approved Pilot Operating Handbook for the airplane was reviewed concerning the landing gear operating system. The cockpit control lever is mechanically linked to the hydraulic sequence valve, which is aft of the rear baggage compartment. A spring loaded electrically operated solenoid gate physically prevents the landing gear handle from being moved out of the down detent when weight is on the landing gear. The solenoid is energized to retract and allow the cockpit gear handle to move when a squat switch on the left main gear strut senses strut extension (liftoff). After the accident, and during repair of the airplane, the landing gear system was examined by Hov-Air, Inc., a maintenance repair facility familiar with the PA-46. The repair shop found that the cockpit gear handle and its linkage (to the hydraulic sequence valve) was out of rigging tolerance. Specifically, the rigging would not allow the gear selector lever handle to be in the full down position where the solenoid gate would block handle movement.
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: 1,340 hours in all; 225 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 1,340 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 22, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 31, 2003; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520BE (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYF San Diego CA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: GCN Grand Canyon AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 8,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 21 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from GCN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.