20170107000159A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cirrus Design SR22 · Mesa, CO · January 7, 2017

Date: January 7, 2017 · 10:02 local
Place: Mesa, CO
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N5VK
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN17LA073
Reported as: Cirrus Design SR22
Reported engine: Continental IO-550 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 131 total46 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days

N5VKRegistration cancelled Jul 29, 2019 · Cirrus Design SR22S/N 0544 · Built 2003 Airframe modelCirrus Design SR22 Engine modelContinental IO-550 seriesReciprocating

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.

On 7 January 2017, N5VK filled fuel at kpvu and took off at 0820 MST, towards kfly. Early in flight, pilot noticed cht's and egts on the MFD were very erratic. Pilot referred to analog gauges instead. Just after passing meeker Colorado, the engine "backfired" a couple times and started lose power. All gauges looked normal. Pilot switched fuel tanks, no help. Pilot had to climb due to raising terrain. Aircraft started to lose more power and started to lose altitude. Pilot decided to either pull shoot or try to land on plateau. Due to the chance of floating into the side of the plateau, pilot chose to make a emergency landing in the snow on the plateau. After touchdown and the slide, pilot attempted to contact ATC, ELT was transmitting. Pilot checked damage to aircraft, landing gear was torn free , propeller was bent up and the left wing was tore up a bit at the fuselage. No injuries occurred to pilot or passenger.

As the FAA filed it

ON 7 JANUARY 2017, N5VK FILLED FUEL AT KPVU AND TOOK OFF AT 0820 MST, TOWARDS KFLY. EARLY IN FLIGHT, PILOT NOTICED CHT'S AND EGTS ON THE MFD WERE VERY ERRATIC. PILOT REFERRED TO ANALOG GAUGES INSTEAD. JUST AFTER PASSING MEEKER COLORADO, THE ENGINE "BACKFIRED" A COUPLE TIMES AND STARTED LOSE POWER. ALL GAUGES LOOKED NORMAL. PILOT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, NO HELP. PILOT HAD TO CLIMB DUE TO RAISING TERRAIN. AIRCRAFT STARTED TO LOSE MORE POWER AND STARTED TO LOSE ALTITUDE. PILOT DECIDED TO EITHER PULL SHOOT OR TRY TO LAND ON PLATEAU. DUE TO THE CHANCE OF FLOATING INTO THE SIDE OF THE PLATEAU, PILOT CHOSE TO MAKE A EMERGENCY LANDING IN THE SNOW ON THE PLATEAU. AFTER TOUCHDOWN AND THE SLIDE, PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT ATC, ELT WAS TRANSMITTING. PILOT CHECKED DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT, LANDING GEAR WAS TORN FREE , PROPELLER WAS BENT UP AND THE LEFT WING WAS TORE UP A BIT AT THE FUSELAGE. NO INJURIES OCCURRED TO PILOT OR PASSENGER.

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 CEN17LA073Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMeeker, COA partial loss of engine power due to fuel contamination from an undetermined source.Jan 7, 2017 · Substantial damage