NTSB Identification: DFW08FA111
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, April 22, 2008 in Hemphill, TX
Aircraft: Cirrus Design Corp. SR22, registration: N729SR
Injuries: 3 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 April 22, 2008, about 1550 central daylight time, a single-engine Cirrus Design SR22 airplane, N729SR, was destroyed when it impacted water following a loss of control near Hemphill, Texas. The private pilot and the two passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by McAir LLC, of West Memphis, Arkansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The 427-nautical mile cross-country flight originated from the Tupelo Regional Airport (TUP), Tupelo, Mississippi, at 1346 and was destined for the David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH), Houston, Texas.

According to preliminary information, while the airplane was in cruise flight near Monroe, Louisiana, air traffic control attempted to contact the pilot with a frequency change; however, the pilot did not respond. Repeated attempts to contact the pilot were unsuccessful as the airplane continued flying a straight line, while at 10,000 feet, towards DWH. At 1549 radar contact was lost in the area of Hemphill, Texas.

Several fishermen on the Toledo Bend Reservoir, near Hemphill, Texas, reported hearing an airplane engine that they described as either "cutting out, sputtering or stalling." However, they could not initially see the airplane because of clouds. Moments later they observed the accident airplane descending nose down and impacting into the reservoir.

Local authorities reported that the scattered airplane wreckage came to rest approximately 40-feet below the surface of the water. No evidence has been located to suggest the ballistic parachute had been deployed. The wreckage recovery is ongoing.