Pilot Debrief

Cirrus SR22 near Denver, CO — 2019-06-02

Final reportGAA19CA306
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Date
2019-06-02
Location
Denver, CO, USA
Airport
APA
Aircraft
Cirrus SR22
Registration
N581SD
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The pilot's improper control inputs on approach, which resulted in a hard landing near the runway edge, a runway excursion, and impact with runway lighting. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.

NTSB narrative

The pilot under instruction reported that he had recently purchased the airplane and that the accident occurred during his third dual-instruction flight in the airplane. The flight instructor requested a short approach to accomplish a simulated engine failure approach and landing. The pilot reported that ground instruction for the simulated engine failure was never accomplished. The instructor requested a simulated emergency landing on runway 17, which was denied by the tower controller due to traffic. The instructor then requested a simulated emergency landing on runway 28, which the tower controller approved. The airplane intersected the extended centerline of runway 28 at a 45° angle. The instructor told the pilot to reduce the power to idle and initiate the approach at 100 knots. The pilot recalled that, by the time glide speed was established, "we were on top of the numbers." The instructor told the pilot to turn right, but he believed that it was too late to turn and align the airplane with the runway heading. The airplane touched down hard on the left edge of the runway, exited the left side of the runway, and impacted runway lights. The flight instructor reported that he had provided the pilot ground instruction on how to execute a power-off landing at least twice. The instructor added that, when he told the pilot to start turning, he did not respond and that, after the airplane overshot the right turn point toward the runway, he took the controls, leveled the airplane, and then applied full power. After the airplane exited the left side of the runway, he pulled the power off. His hand was on top of the pilot's, who subsequently added full power. The instructor reduced the power, but the pilot added full power again. The instructor was able to steer the airplane and stop it on the runway. A review of surveillance footage of the accident provided by the Federal Aviation Administration revealed that, during the approach, the airplane converged on about a 45° angle toward runway 28. When the airplane approached the runway numbers, the right wing dropped rapidly, and the nose pitched up. Seconds later, the left wing dropped rapidly, and the airplane impacted the left side of the runway just before reaching the runway aim point markings. The airplane exited the left side of the runway and collided with runway lighting. The airplane remained upright and returned to the runway surface before coming to a stop about mid-field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the elevator and vertical stabilizer. Both pilots reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB coding

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