20111016024699A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cirrus Design SR22 · Danbury, CT · October 16, 2011

Date: October 16, 2011 · 20:10 local
Place: Danbury, CT
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N438CP
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA12FA030
Reported as: Cirrus Design SR22
Reported engine: Continental IO-550-N
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,606 total400 in this make and model60 in the last 90 days

N438CPRegistration cancelled Jan 19, 2018 · Cirrus Design SR22S/N 3258 · Built 2008 Airframe modelCirrus Design SR22 Engine modelContinental IO-550-NReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The pilot of N438CP was on an IFR flight plan from Maryland to Danbury CT. He was cleared by Danbury tower for a right downwind pattern to land on runway 26 at (dxr) Danbury CT. Communications were lost with the aircraft by Danbury tower. Danbury tower lost sight of the aircraft and another aircraft in the pattern reported the aircraft had crashed half a mile east of the airport on the ridge. The aircraft had hit a tower at 701'MSL and .5 mile from Danbury airport on the center line for runway 26. Weather conditions were night VMC:special kdxr 20008KT 10SM ovc 110 16/05A2975 the new york center did not confirm with the pilot that he had received the current ATIS for Danbury airport prior to the communications hand off to Danbury tower. Although reports from witnesses and airport officials state the light marking the tower was operational, the ATIS still had the light notamed out of service.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT OF N438CP WAS ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN FROM MARYLAND TO DANBURY CT. HE WAS CLEARED BY DANBURY TOWER FOR A RIGHT DOWNWIND PATTERN TO LAND ON RUNWAY 26 AT (DXR) DANBURY CT. COMMUNICATIONS WERE LOST WITH THE AIRCRAFT BY DANBURY TOWER. DANBURY TOWER LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ANOTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE PATTERN REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT HAD CRASHED HALF A MILE EAST OF THE AIRPORT ON THE RIDGE. THE AIRCRAFT HAD HIT A TOWER AT 701'MSL AND .5 MILE FROM DANBURY AIRPORT ON THE CENTER LINE FOR RUNWAY 26. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE NIGHT VMC:SPECIAL KDXR 20008KT 10SM OVC 110 16/05A2975 THE NEW YORK CENTER DID NOT CONFIRM WITH THE PILOT THAT HE HAD RECEIVED THE CURRENT ATIS FOR DANBURY AIRPORT PRIOR TO THE COMMUNICATIONS HAND OFF TO DANBURY TOWER. ALTHOUGH REPORTS FROM WITNESSES AND AIRPORT OFFICIALS STATE THE LIGHT MARKING THE TOWER WAS OPERATIONAL, THE ATIS STILL HAD THE LIGHT NOTAMED OUT OF SERVICE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA12FA030Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportDanbury, CTThe pilot did not maintain clearance from a lighted tower during final approach in night visual conditions.Oct 17, 2011 · Substantial damage