What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
After declaring engine problems and twice communicating a desire to turn around on tower frequency, a 2002 Cirrus SR22 single-engine, constant-speed-propeller aircraft crashed approximately one minute after being cleared for takeoff from approximately the midpoint of Colorado Springs, CO. Airport runway 35L (taxiway A36,400 from the runway end). After climbing to approximately 200 to 300 feet above the ground, the aircraft pitched nose-down to the left, entered a one-turn spin, crashed in a relatively-flat field in a nose and wings-level attitude, and burned almost completely approximately 2500 north of the takeoff- runway end and 700' west of the extended centerline of runway 35L. There were two fatalities: the pilot and one passenger. The destination (not-filed) was "southeast," probably roanoke, TX, the home base of the aircraft. The last normal tower control clearance was "turn right heading 060." An eyewitness indicated that the engine revved and backed off for 5 to 6 cycles between liftoff and pitch-up, and that he did not remember any engine sound after observing the aircraft break off to the left. Another witness indicated the aircraft consumed more runway during takeoff than usual and that flaps were deployed (investigation of the crash produced evidence that the flaps were at 50%, which can be considered normal for this aircraft, but which would have made recovery from an uncommanded, low-level power loss more difficult). A surface tailwind of 5KTS existed at the time. A short connector taxiway was used from the parking ramp which offered little room for an engine runup. Approximately 2.5 minutes elapsed between acknowledgement of the taxi clearance on the ramp and clearance for takeoff. Witnesses testified that the aircraft had been topped-off with an appropriate grade of aviation gasoline upon its arrival two days prior, and offered the observation that the pilot did not seem agitated or in a particular hurry to depart. The airman and aircraft logs burned in the aircraft, but enough pages survived to disclose that the pilot had approximately 2,900 total hours.
As the FAA filed it
AFTER DECLARING ENGINE PROBLEMS AND TWICE COMMUNICATING A DESIRE TO TURN AROUND ON TOWER FREQUENCY, A 2002 CIRRUS SR22 SINGLE-ENGINE, CONSTANT-SPEED-PROPELLER AIRCRAFT CRASHED APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE AFTER BEING CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF FROM APPROXIMATELY THE MIDPOINT OF COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. AIRPORT RUNWAY 35L (TAXIWAY A36,400 FROM THE RUNWAY END). AFTER CLIMBING TO APPROXIMATELY 200 TO 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED NOSE-DOWN TO THE LEFT, ENTERED A ONE-TURN SPIN, CRASHED IN A RELATIVELY-FLAT FIELD IN A NOSE AND WINGS-LEVEL ATTITUDE, AND BURNED ALMOST COMPLETELY APPROXIMATELY 2500 NORTH OF THE TAKEOFF- RUNWAY END AND 700' WEST OF THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE OF RUNWAY 35L. THERE WERE TWO FATALITIES: THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER. THE DESTINATION (NOT-FILED) WAS "SOUTHEAST," PROBABLY ROANOKE, TX, THE HOME BASE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE LAST NORMAL TOWER CONTROL CLEARANCE WAS "TURN RIGHT HEADING 060." AN EYEWITNESS INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE REVVED AND BACKED OFF FOR 5 TO 6 CYCLES BETWEEN LIFTOFF AND PITCH-UP, AND THAT HE DID NOT REMEMBER ANY ENGINE SOUND AFTER OBSERVING THE AIRCRAFT BREAK OFF TO THE LEFT. ANOTHER WITNESS INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT CONSUMED MORE RUNWAY DURING TAKEOFF THAN USUAL AND THAT FLAPS WERE DEPLOYED (INVESTIGATION OF THE CRASH PRODUCED EVIDENCE THAT THE FLAPS WERE AT 50%, WHICH CAN BE CONSIDERED NORMAL FOR THIS AIRCRAFT, BUT WHICH WOULD HAVE MADE RECOVERY FROM AN UNCOMMANDED, LOW-LEVEL POWER LOSS MORE DIFFICULT). A SURFACE TAILWIND OF 5KTS EXISTED AT THE TIME. A SHORT CONNECTOR TAXIWAY WAS USED FROM THE PARKING RAMP WHICH OFFERED LITTLE ROOM FOR AN ENGINE RUNUP. APPROXIMATELY 2.5 MINUTES ELAPSED BETWEEN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE TAXI CLEARANCE ON THE RAMP AND CLEARANCE FOR TAKEOFF. WITNESSES TESTIFIED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN TOPPED-OFF WITH AN APPROPRIATE GRADE OF AVIATION GASOLINE UPON ITS ARRIVAL TWO DAYS PRIOR, AND OFFERED THE OBSERVATION THAT THE PILOT DID NOT SEEM AGITATED OR IN A PARTICULAR HURRY TO DEPART. THE AIRMAN AND AIRCRAFT LOGS BURNED IN THE AIRCRAFT, BUT ENOUGH PAGES SURVIVED TO DISCLOSE THAT THE PILOT HAD APPROXIMATELY 2,900 TOTAL HOURS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.