Pilot Debrief

CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR20 near Portage, WI — 2025-10-01

Final reportCEN26LA011
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Date
2025-10-01
Location
Portage, WI, USA
Airport
C47
Aircraft
CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR20
Registration
N78RC
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The student pilot’s failure to maintain proper airspeed and attitude for a short field landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.

NTSB narrative

The student pilot was attempting a short field landing. While on final approach he slowed to just above 70 knots. Just after this, the instructor noticed the pitch attitude increase and the airspeed decrease so he called out, “go around, go, go!” and attempted to help advance the throttle but the student was already doing it. The airplane landed just beyond the runway numbers and then became airborne again. The student and instructor completed the traffic pattern and landed uneventfully. The flight instructor examined the main landing gear and did not find any damage present, so they returned to their home base whereupon the flight instructor found substantial damage to the structure for the vertical stabilizer. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions of failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents2

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