# Accident 20230402003909A: Cirrus Design Corp SR22, Oxbo, OR, April 2, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 2, 2023, 09:50 local time
- Place: Oxbo, OR
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.9606° N, 116.8585° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.9606&lon=-116.8585&mi=10
- Aircraft: N424SW, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N424SW) (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: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot, student
- Pilot flight hours: 58 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR23FA141](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23FA141) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230402003909A

## Narrative

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

CIRRUS SR22, SN 3890 WITH PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER, CRASHED NEAR OXBO, OREGON LAT/LONG 44.96014N -119.85810W AT APPROXIMATELY 9:50AM PACIFIC TIME ENDING IN HIGH IMPACT DAMAGE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND PERSONNEL.

PILOT TOOK ON APPROXIMATELY 40 US GAL OF AVGAS PRIOR TO TAKE OFF, DEPARTED CALDWELL EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (EUL) FOR LEWISTON NEZ/PERCE COUNTY AIRPORT. PILOT CLIMBED TO A CRUISING ALTITUDE OF 13,900 FT AND CRUISE SPEED OF APPROXIMATE 165KT, APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT MAKES A LEFT HAND DESCENDING TURN WITH INCREASING AIRSPEED TO 236KTS AN ABRUPT DECREASE TO 174KTS SLIGHTLY CLIMBS AND THEN DISAPPEARS FROM FLIGHT TRACKING PER ADS-B FLIGHT TRACKING AT 12,700FT.

WITNESSES ON THE GROUND RECALL HEARING THE AIRCRAFT PASSING OVER BUT WAS NOT VISIBLE DO TO CLOUD LAYER THAT COVERED THE LOCAL MOUNTAIN PEAKS. CLOUD LAYER ESTIMATED TO BE 3000 FT, BASED ON GROUND ELEVATION OFF 2300 FT AND MOUNTAIN PEAKS OF 4500FT AND NOT VISIBLE. WITNESSES HEARD A LOUD BANG AND THE AIRCRAFT EMERGE FROM THE CLOUD LAYER TRAVELING IN AN ALMOST VERTICAL ANGLE TO THE HILL SIDE. A MINUTE OR 2 LATER THE BALLISTIC PARACHUTE WAS SEEN FLOATING FROM THE CLOUD LAYER AND LANDED IN THE RIVER A HALF MILE FROM WHERE THE AIRCRAFT EMERGED FROM THE CLOUDS.

FORECASTED WEATHER IN THE AREA WAS SOME PRECIP AND LIGHT ICING, CLOUD LAYER 13,700 FT MSL AND CLOUD TOPS AT 14,000 FT MSL. AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH TKS DEICING FLUID SYSTEM FOR WINGS AND PROPS, UNABLE TO CONFIRM ITS USE DO TO IMPACT DAMAGE. DEBRIS FIELD WAS APPROXIMATELY 100 FT IN RADIUS FROM INITIAL POINT OF IMPACT (IPOI).

SEVERAL AIRCRAFT PART FOUND BY LOCAL WITNESS IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS TO INCLUDE 1. THE UPPER HALF OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER AT ONE LOCATION (.9 MILES FROM IPOI), 2. BALLISTIC PARACHUTE COVER (1.2 MILES FROM IPOI), 3. COMPOSITE STRIP SEVERAL FEET LONG (.8 MILES FROM IPOI). NOT FOUND DUE TO LANDING IN THE RIVER, BALLISTIC PARACHUTE (1.3 MILES FROM IPOI). ALL PARTS FOUND WHERE IN A NORTHERN DIRECTION FROM THE IPOI.

PILOT HOURS OF 58.9 HOURS WAS PULLED FROM HIS LAST IACRA 8710-1 SUBMISSION. TOTAL HOURS UNKNOWN DUE TO EXCLUSIVE USE OF FOREFLIGHT ELECTRONIC LOGBOOK. IPAD WAS DESTROY IN IMPACT AND LOGIN UNKNOWN TO RETRIEVE ACTUAL HOURS.

AIRCRAFT WAS CURRENT FOR ANNUAL INSPECTIONS BASED ON AIRCRAFT AIRFRAME LOGBOOK RETRIEVED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.

## 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 WPR23FA141](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23FA141), Apr 2, 2023: Cirrus Design SR22 (N424SW), Oxbow, OR, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in airframe ice accretion and a subsequent loss of airplane control.

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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