What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 18, 2025, about 1456 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus SR22T was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Franklin, north carolina. The private pilot and two passengers sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a title 14 code of federal regulations part 91 personal flight.
The aircraft, arriving from the northwest at approximately 6,300 feet MSL, performed a 360-degree descending left turn. During this turn, the aircraft's vertical descent rate at times exceeded 2,000 feet per minute. It then proceeded onto its final approach for runway 7 at airport 1A5 (Macon County), reaching an altitude of about 3,300 feet MSL, which is approximately 1,250 feet above the airfield's elevation of 2,033 feet. The pilot initiated a go-around, executing a left turn away from the airfield. A nose-up attitude was initiated shortly after the turn, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and a tightening spiral descent. The aircraft then impacted the ground without a post-crash fire.
The Cirrus airframe parachute system (caps) was not deployed.
Pilot total flight hours unknown, unable to retrieve pilot logbooks at this time. Last reported hours indicate 1,562 total time and 88 hours in the last six months at date of medical exam on 10/02/2023.
Sas task T-EA68-FY26-0101
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2025, ABOUT 1456 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CIRRUS SR22T WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR FRANKLIN, NORTH CAROLINA. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT.
THE AIRCRAFT, ARRIVING FROM THE NORTHWEST AT APPROXIMATELY 6,300 FEET MSL, PERFORMED A 360-DEGREE DESCENDING LEFT TURN. DURING THIS TURN, THE AIRCRAFT'S VERTICAL DESCENT RATE AT TIMES EXCEEDED 2,000 FEET PER MINUTE. IT THEN PROCEEDED ONTO ITS FINAL APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 7 AT AIRPORT 1A5 (MACON COUNTY), REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 3,300 FEET MSL, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 1,250 FEET ABOVE THE AIRFIELD'S ELEVATION OF 2,033 FEET. THE PILOT INITIATED A GO-AROUND, EXECUTING A LEFT TURN AWAY FROM THE AIRFIELD. A NOSE-UP ATTITUDE WAS INITIATED SHORTLY AFTER THE TURN, WHICH RESULTED IN AN AERODYNAMIC STALL AND A TIGHTENING SPIRAL DESCENT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND WITHOUT A POST-CRASH FIRE.
THE CIRRUS AIRFRAME PARACHUTE SYSTEM (CAPS) WAS NOT DEPLOYED.
PILOT TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS UNKNOWN, UNABLE TO RETRIEVE PILOT LOGBOOKS AT THIS TIME. LAST REPORTED HOURS INDICATE 1,562 TOTAL TIME AND 88 HOURS IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS AT DATE OF MEDICAL EXAM ON 10/02/2023.
SAS TASK T-EA68-FY26-0101
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.