Pilot Debrief

CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22 near Moncks Corner, SC — 2009-01-29

Final reportERA09FA148
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Date
2009-01-29
Location
Moncks Corner, SC, USA
Airport
MKS
Aircraft
CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22
Registration
N224SB
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

A loss of aircraft control during the landing approach for undetermined reasons.

NTSB narrative

About 6 minutes after departing in visual meteorological conditions, the pilot reported fumes in the cockpit to air traffic control, and advised them that he planned to divert. The pilot subsequently began descending toward a nearby airport, and entered the traffic pattern. As the airplane neared the runway threshold, on what appeared to be a "normal" approach, it suddenly pitched nose down and impacted the ground about 900 feet short of the runway threshold. A witness who approached the airplane immediately following the accident reported no fire, smoke, or abnormal fumes. Post accident review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that about 3 weeks prior to the accident, the pilot had reported an odor of "burnt electronics" in the cabin, and subsequently had the airplane inspected by a maintenance facility. No anomalies were found during the inspection and all of the airplane's systems continued to function normally thereafter. A post-accident examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions, failures, or fire in the accident airplane. A detailed inspection of the airplane's electrical system and avionic components revealed a single damaged capacitor located in the primary flight display that displayed evidence of thermal distress. Functional testing of the circuit card containing the damaged capacitor suggested normal operation. The pilot’s cause of death was noted as "blunt trauma" and toxicological testing on specimens from the pilot showed no traces of carbon monoxide or cyanide.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have diverted earlier after reporting fumes in cockpit.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ATC audio
  • FDR / data
  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 18 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents18

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