Pilot Debrief

CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22 near Lancaster, TX — 2015-10-17

Final reportCEN16LA016
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Date
2015-10-17
Location
Lancaster, TX, USA
Airport
LNC
Aircraft
CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22
Registration
N849CD
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper glidepath during a night visual approach, which resulted in impact with a power line. Contributing to the accident was an inoperative precision approach path indicator.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot reported that he was flying a night visual pattern to a nontowered airport. Due to another airplane on final approach, the pilot extended the downwind leg to create spacing. While on the extended final in a rural area with low lighting, the pilot descended the airplane well below a proper glidepath to the runway and struck an unlit high-voltage power line located about 1 mile from the runway. After feeling a jolt, the passenger deployed the airframe's parachute system. The airplane subsequently became suspended in a second set of power lines, and the pilot and passenger safely egressed the airplane. At the time of the accident, the precision approach path indicators (PAPI) for both runways were inoperative due to maintenance. A notice to airmen (NOTAM) for the PAPI closure was active at the time of the accident, and the pilot was aware of the NOTAM. The dark conditions and extended final likely created a visual illusion in which the pilot thought he was higher than he was; without an operative PAPI, the pilot had limited external references to assist him in maintaining a proper glidepath during the approach.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Controlled flight into terrain
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen a different approach or altitude to avoid power lines.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 2 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents2

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