# Accident 20200811013319A: Cirrus Design Corp SR22, Watseka, IL, August 11, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 11, 2020, 17:20 local time
- Place: Watseka, IL
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.4117° N, 87.2572° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4117&lon=-87.2572&mi=10
- Aircraft: N678EC, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N678EC) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cirrus Design SR22 (registry code 2130001, https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-550-N (registry code 17215, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-550-n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO-550-N
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 16,190 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN20CA335](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA335) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200811013319A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

CIRRUS SERIAL NUMBER 2881, N678EC, WAS OCCUPIED BY AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS ON A 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT FROM JEFFERSONVILLE-CLARK REGIONAL AIRPORT, IN (KJVY) TO CHICAGO EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (KPWK). THE AIRCRAFT WAS TRAVELING AT 8,000 FEET IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT REQUESTED THAT THE REAR SEAT PASSENGER RETRIEVE AN ITEM FROM UNDER THE FRONT LEFT PILOT SEAT. THE REAR SEAT PASSENGER UNBUCKLED THEIR SAFETY RESTRAINT TO LOCATE THE ITEM. THE PILOT LOOSENED THEIR SAFETY RESTRAINT AS WELL TO LOCATE THE ITEM BEHIND THEM. AT THIS TIME THE ADULT FRONT RIGHT SEAT PASSENGER ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THEIR SEAT FORWARD TO AFFORD MORE ROOM FOR THE SEARCH. THE FRONT RIGHT SEAT PASSENGER GRABBED THE SIDE STICK CONTROL AND ATTEMPTED TO USE IT AS A HANDLE TO PULL THE SEAT FORWARD. THIS ACTION CAUSED AN ABRUPT NOSE UP MOVEMENT WHICH SURPRISED ALL OCCUPANTS OF THE AIRCRAFT. AS A RESULT OF THIS SURPRISE, THE FRONT RIGHT SEAT PASSENGER PUSHED THE SIDE STICK CONTROL FULL FORWARD TO STOP THE NOSE UP MOVEMENT. THIS ACTION CAUSED AN ABRUPT NOSE DOWN MOVEMENT CAUSING A NEGATIVE G FORCE WHICH FORCED THE UNRESTRAINED PASSENGER, AND LOOSELY RESTRAINED PILOT INTO THE UPPER PORTION OF THE CABIN. IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE NOSE DOWN MOVEMENT, THE RESTRAINED FRONT RIGHT SEAT PASSENGER PULLED AGAIN ON THE SIDE STICK ENACTING A POSITIVE G FORCE WHICH MADE THE PILOT AND REAR PASSENGER DROP IN THE CABIN. IN TOTAL THERE WAS REPORTED TO BE THREE UP AND DOWN COMMAND CYCLES BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT WAS LEVEL AND BACK IN THE CONTROL OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND.

THE PILOT INFORMED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL OF THE OCCURRENCE. THE PILOT. NOT KNOWING THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE INJURIES CONTINUED TO CHICAGO EXECUTIVE AIRPORT, WHERE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES MET THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT SUFFERED LACERATIONS TO THE HEAD. THE REAR SEAT PASSENGER EXPERIENCED A FRACTURED NECK AND STERNUM. THE FRONT LEFT SEAT PASSENGER WAS UNINJURED.

THE AIRCRAFT WAS INSPECTED AFTER THE OCCURRENCE BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MANUFACTURER AND A THIRD PARTY MAINTENANCE PROVIDER. NO DAMAGED WAS FOUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN20CA335](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA335), Aug 11, 2020: Cirrus SR22 (N678EC), Lafayette, IN, no damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to monitor aircraft control, which resulted in a loss of control when a passenger inadvertently moved the control stick, and the pilot and other passenger's decision to unbuckle…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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