Piper PA-46 accident near Twin Falls, Idaho, December 12, 1992
On December 12, 1992 at about 1:58 am local time, a Piper PA-46, registered N856M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Twin Falls, Idaho (Twin Falls Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE ILS GLIDE PATH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 12, 1992 · about 1:58 am local time
- Place
- Twin Falls, Idaho · Twin Falls Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46 · all PA-46s on the register
- Registration
- N856M · no longer on the register · serial 46-8508069
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER AN ALL DAY FLIGHT FROM VERO BEACH, FLORIDA, THE PILOT DIVERTED FROM HIS DESTINATION TO HIS ALTERNATE AND ATTEMPTED A COUPLED ILS APPROACH AT TWIN FALLS, IDAHO. DURING THE APPROACH, HIS AUTOPILOT DISENGAGED AND HE MISSED THE APPROACH, AND THEN ELECTED TO HAND FLY AN APPROACH, WHEN HE COULDN'T REENGAGE THE AUTOPILOT. DURING THE SECOND APPROACH ATTEMPT, HE DESCENDED BELOW THE GLIDE PATH AND IMPACTED TERRAIN. WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE WAS ONE HALF MILE VISIBILITY AND 200 FEET OBSCURED CLOUD LAYER. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER AFTER IMPACTING IN A LEVEL PLOWED FIELD. THE PILOT TURNED ON THE ELT AFTER TRYING HIS RADIOS AND DISCOVERING THAT THE ELT WAS NOT TRANSMITTING.
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: 1,171 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 1,102 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 4,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BE (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GXY Greeley CO at 11:30 pm
- Destination: SUN Hailey ID
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25, 8,703 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 014° at 6 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:02 am from TWF, 1 miles away
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.