20210621010339A

ON JUNE 21, 2021, AT APPROXIMATELY 0930 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, N333LZ WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED NEAR MERCER, TN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS A CIRRUS SR22T BEING OPERATED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, AND SOLE OCCUPANT ONBOARD, ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT UNDER CFR PART 91 DAYTIME OPERATION.

ACCORDING TO RECORDS OBTAINED FROM AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC), THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM ITS HOME BASE AT MEMPHIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MEM), MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, ON A INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN BOUND FOR ASHVILLE REGIONAL AIRPORT, ASHVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA. APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 6000 FEET TO A CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 15,000 FEET, THE PILOT TOLD MEMPHIS CENTER ATC HE WAS EXPERIENCING ENGINE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH MANIFOLD PRESSURE AND BEGAN TO LOSE ALTITUDE. THE PILOT SOON AFTER REQUESTED A DIVERSION TO MCKELLAR SIPES REGIONAL AIRPORT (MKL) NEAR JACKSON, TN. THE PILOT DID NOT DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. THE CONTROLLER CLEARED THE PILOT TO MKL AT AN ALTITUDE OF 3000 FEET. UPON REACHING 3000 FEET, THE PILOT ADVISED ATC HE WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE ASSIGNED ALTITUDE. THE CONTROLLER ADVISED THE PILOT THAT THE BOLIVAR AIRPORT (M08), BOLIVAR, TENNESSEE WAS JUST OFF HIS RIGHT SIDE, HOWEVER THE PILOT CONTINUED TOWARDS MKL. THE CONTROLLER ASKED THE PILOT IF HE INTENDED TO USE THE PARACHUTE AND THE PILOT REPLIED, ?NEGATIVE, BUSY LANDING?. NO FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH ATC WAS RECEIVED BY FROM PILOT.

THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND AT LOCATION LATITUDE 35˚27?45?NORTH AND LONGITUDE 89˚2?47?WEST. IT WAS EVIDENT THAT THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A WEST BOUND LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD ADJACENT TO THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK MATURE TREES ON THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE FIELD AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT ON THE GROUND ON A COMPASS HEADING OF 351˚.

THE LEFT WING?S LEADING EDGE HAD TREE IMPRESSION MARKS ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE WING. THE SPINNER DOME HAD TREE BARK WEDGED IN THE CREASES OF THE DOME. ONE PROPELLER BLADE WAS FRACTURED AND FOUND ABOUT 20 FEET FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. ALL THREE LANDING GEAR WERE SEPARATED BUT REMAINED UNDER THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THE EMPENNAGE REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE. THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE EMPENNAGE AND EXHIBITED IMPACT DAMAGE. THE VERTICAL STABILIZER REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE EMPENNAGE; HOWEVER, THE RUDDER WAS SEPARATED FROM THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AT THE TOP AND MID-POINT HINGES. CONTROL CABLE CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED TO ALL FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES FROM THE FLIGHT CONTROLS TO THE COCKPIT. THE CIRRUS AIRFRAME PARACHUTE SYSTEM (CAPS) WAS FOUND INTACT. THE SAFETY PIN WAS OUT OF THE HANDLE, BUT THE SYSTEM WAS NOT ACTIVATED. BOTH WINGS REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE AND EXHIBITED IMPACT DAMAGE. BOTH FUEL CELLS WERE BREACHED FROM IMPACT DAMAGE. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS; HOWEVER, A GASOLINE ODOR WAS NOTED UPON ARRIVAL AT THE SCENE. NO POST IMPACT FIRE OCCURRED. THE ENGINE REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE.

THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED TO A SALVAGE FACILITY FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. THE BOTTOM SPARK PLUGS WERE REMOVED AND EXHIBITED NORMAL WEAR. THE PROPELLER WAS ROTATED BY HAND THROUGH 360° OF MOTION AND CRANKSHAFT CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED THROUGH THE VALVETRAIN. THUMB COMPRESSION WAS ATTAINED ON ALL CYLINDERS. A LIGHTED BORESCOPE WAS USED TO EXAMINE THE PISTONS, VALVES, AND CYLINDER WALLS AND ALL EXHIBITED NORMAL WEAR. BOTH TURBOCHARGERS ROTATED SMOOTHLY BY HAND. THE LEFT TURBOCHARGER HOUSING SHOWED CRACKING AND MELTING AT THE ATTACHMENT FLANGE. THE WASTE GATE WAS REMOVED, AND A SMALL METAL FRAGMENT WAS WEDGED BETWEEN THE HOUSING AND THE VALVE, WHICH WAS ABOUT 75% CLOSED. THE WASTE GATE CONTROLLER MOUNTING BRACKET WAS FRACTURED AND THE CONNECTING ROD WAS BENT. THE METAL FRAGMENT WAS SENT TO THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD MATERIALS LABORATORY FOR IDENTIFICATION. THE METAL FRAGMENT WAS LATER IDENTIFIED BY THE NTSB LAB AS STAINLESS STEEL. ITS ORIGIN IS UNKNOWN.