Transport Canada PSTAR, Private Pilot & Recreational Pilot Written Exam Preparation Software
Airplanes,Learn to Fly, Aviation News, 1 kB
Home arrow Accident Reports arrow Cirrus SR22 Collision With Terrain
Cirrus SR22 Collision With Terrain PDF Print E-mail
Saturday, 02 February 2008
NTSB Identification: DFW08FA060
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, February 02, 2008 in Lindsay, OK
Aircraft: Cirrus Design Corp. SR-22, registration: N824BJ
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

 

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

 

On February 2, 2008, approximately 1723 central standard time, a Cirrus SR22, N824BJ, single-engine airplane, was destroyed when it collided with terrain while maneuvering near the Lindsay Municipal Airport (1K2), Lindsay, Oklahoma. The certified flight instructor and the private pilot were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the private pilot. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

The flight instructor, who was also a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified airframe and power plant mechanic (A&P), operated a maintenance facility from a private airstrip about 5 miles southeast of the Lindsay Airport. According to one of his customers, the instructor had called him on the day of the accident, and told him that he had completed the annual inspection on his airplane. The instructor planned to reposition it to Lindsay Airport, because he was already scheduled to be there to give the private pilot, whom the customer knew as well, a "biennial flight review." Later that day, the customer saw the accident airplane in the traffic pattern and drove to the airport. When he arrived, he saw the airplane departing to the north. The customer then drove over to a friend's hangar, picked him up, and drove to the departure end of Runway 10 so they could watch the airplane land. About 20 minutes later, he "heard an engine accelerate then a boom." The customer said that he had not seen or heard the airplane prior to the sound of the engine accelerating.

Another witness was in his backyard when he heard the airplane's engine "wind up hard." He said, "I turned to look at the plane, and it looked like it fell to the ground in a 45 degree angle - The plane disappeared behind a row of trees - then I saw a ball of smoke - then I heard it hit the ground." The witness also stated that he heard an airplane making "circles" around the airport before the crash but he was not sure it was the accident airplane. Several other people heard the airplane flying in the vicinity of the airport and reported hearing the airplane's engine "missing" or "cutting out."

The airplane came to rest in a pasture approximately 1/4-mile northwest of Lindsay Airport on a magnetic heading of approximately 240 degrees at a field elevation of 965 feet mean sea level (msl). A post-impact fire consumed the main wreckage of the airplane, which consisted of the cockpit, fuselage, tail section, left and right wings, main landing gear, and the engine.

The initial impact mark was about 45 feet from where the main wreckage came to rest. The initial impact mark included two horizontal impact marks (consistent with the leading edge of the wings) that expanded to the left and right of a 3- foot by 4- foot- wide crater. A piece of red navigational lens was found at the far most end of the right impact mark.

The three-bladed propeller and numerous pieces of Plexiglas were found imbedded in the initial impact crater. One blade exhibited an "S" bend. The second propeller blade exhibited leading edge damage and the third propeller blade was fractured at the blade root. This blade exhibited an "S" bend, and was bent toward the non-cambered side of the blade, beginning at the blade root.

The nose wheel, Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), parachute rocket motor, engine cowling, and sections of airframe were found scattered along the wreckage path between the initial impact point and the main wreckage.

Examination of the airplane's safety equipment revealed that the CAPS activation handle was intact and in its holder, the rocket motor was expended, and the deployment pack consisted of a partially packed parachute (risers extended out of the bag). A portion of the front right seat's shoulder harness, including a deployed airbag, was found in the wreckage.

Flight control continuity was established for all flight controls from the respective surface to the cockpit. Examination of the flap actuator revealed the flaps were fully retracted.

The airplane was equipped with an Avidyne Primary Flight Display (PFD) and Multi-Function Display (MFD). These units were retained for further examination/download at the Safety Board's Research and Engineering Laboratory in Washington DC.

The engine sustained impact and thermal damage, but all six cylinders remained attached to the engine. The left and right magneto exhibited impact and thermal damage; however, the left magneto was only partially attached to the engine. The spark plugs were removed. The number three plug was damaged, but each of the plugs exhibited normal operating wear signatures in accordance with the Champion aviation check-a-plug comparison chart. The fuel pump remained attached to the engine and exhibited thermal and impact damage. The fuel mixture control was in the "full rich" position. The pump was removed from the engine and the drive coupling was intact. The cylinders were inspected using a lighted borescope. The cylinder bores were free of scoring within the bore ring travel area.

The flight instructor held a commercial certificate for airplane single-engine land, and instrument airplane. He also held a certified flight instructor rating for airplane single-engine land, and instrument airplane. In addition, he was a certified airframe and power plant mechanic, with inspector authorization (IA). His last FAA second-class medical was issued on January 30, 2007. At that time, he reported a total of 1,600 flight hours.

The pilot held a private pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land, and instrument airplane. His last FAA third class medical was issued on January 17, 2008. A review of his logbook revealed that he had accumulated approximately 1,327 hours, of which 230 hours were in a Cirrus SR22 airplane.

Weather at Paul's Valley Municipal Airport (PVJ), approximately 20 nautical miles southeast of the accident site, at 1750, was reported as wind from 080 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 57 degrees Fahrenheit, dewpoint 37 degrees Fahrenheit, and a barometric pressure setting of 29.99 inches of Mercury.
 
< Prev   Next >
© 2008 Private Pilot News & Magazine - Aviation News & Information
Joomla! is Free Software released under the GNU/GPL License.