20250330003499A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cirrus Design SR22 · Somerset, NJ · March 30, 2025

Date: March 30, 2025 · 09:35 local
Place: Somerset, NJ
Airport: Princeton
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N319TM
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA25FA158
Reported as: Cirrus Design SR22
Reported engine: Continental IO-550-N
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Private pilot, student
Pilot’s flight hours: 463 total62 in this make and model5 in the last 90 days

N319TMRegistered now · Cirrus Design SR22S/N 9993 · Built 2024 Airframe modelCirrus Design SR22 Engine modelContinental IO-550-NReciprocating

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.

Pilot departed Princeton Airport on an IFR flight plan with an observed ceiling of approximately 800' AGL. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft entered IMC. After a climb to 1800' MSL, then a descent to 1200' MSL, then a climb to 1500' MSL, the aircraft entered a left-hand spiral and impacted terrain in a wooded area and was destroyed. The duration of the flight was approximately five minutes.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT DEPARTED PRINCETON AIRPORT ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WITH AN OBSERVED CEILING OF APPROXIMATELY 800' AGL. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED IMC. AFTER A CLIMB TO 1800' MSL, THEN A DESCENT TO 1200' MSL, THEN A CLIMB TO 1500' MSL, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A LEFT-HAND SPIRAL AND IMPACTED TERRAIN IN A WOODED AREA AND WAS DESTROYED. THE DURATION OF THE FLIGHT WAS APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES.

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 ERA25FA158Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldPreliminary reportFranklin Township, NJOn March 30, 2025, about 1034 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus SR22, N319TM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Franklin Township, New Jersey. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code…Mar 30, 2025 · Substantial damage