Pilot Debrief

CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22 near La Cienega, NM — 2026-04-17

Investigation ongoingWPR26LA162
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Date
2026-04-17
Location
La Cienega, NM, USA
Aircraft
CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22
Registration
N654MC
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

NTSB has not published a probable cause for this accident yet. Preliminary reports describe what happened; the cause is determined later, often 12–24 months after the event.

NTSB narrative

On April 17, 2026, at about 0954 mountain standard time, a Cirrus Design Corp SR22, N654MC, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near La Cienega, New Mexico. The pilot receiving instruction and the flight instructor were not injured. The airplane was operating as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The pilot receiving instruction reported that during the preflight inspection, no issues were found, and the airplane was filled with approximately 90 gallons of fuel. During the takeoff and initial climb, the flight instructor noticed that the engine was not producing maximum power. He confirmed that the throttle was set to full forward and the mixture was adjusted to full rich. At approximately 500 ft above ground level (agl), while the pilot receiving instruction initiated a left turn to follow the instrument departure procedure, when the engine lost total power. The flight instructor took control of the airplane, leveled the wings, and deployed the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS). Subsequently, the airplane descended under the parachute canopy and landed in a residential area near several homes. Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage, wings, and empennage sustained substantial damage. The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination.

Preliminary NTSB coding

  • Loss of engine power (total) · Initial climb
  • Loss of Thrust on Takeoff
View NTSB preliminary report

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