What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At 0905 eastern time an SR22 (privacy data omitted) took off from columbia, SC (kcae) destined for decatur, Alabama (kdcu). After takeoff and reaching 8000 feet the pilot declared to ATC they had an engine failure and were diverting to white plains airport in Lexington, SC (SC99). Flight aware shows a descending flight path consistent with attempting to get oriented for an emergency landing at that airport.
FAA inspectors arrived at about 1100 hours. A perimeter had been established by local fire and rescue. No media was initially present. Prior to arrival, one person, believed to be the pilot, was transported by EMS to local emergency for treatment. Initial inspection of the scene showed privacy data omitted came to rest inverted on a dirt road after impacting several trees about 1000 feet short of the approach end of runway 27 at SC99. The flight path appeared consistent with being lined up correctly for runway 27. The aircraft had a parachute system that was not deployed and appeared to still be active at the crash scene. On advice of Cirrus manufacturing, Lexington county fire department established a 500-foot buffer, keeping all personnel away. One deceased individual remained in the aircraft.
A Cirrus rep and NTSB arrived at about 1700 hours. At about 1800, Cirrus rep deactivated the pyros for the parachute system and rescue was able to remove the final victim from the inverted aircraft. On scene investigation showed no signs of fuel leaking or present on the ground in notable quantities. Inspectors and NTSB could detect a faint smell of avgas near the engine block. Local law enforcement secured the crash scene for the night.
The following day the NTSB, Cirrus rep, and FAA inspectors returned to complete on scene investigation and aircraft removal. Investigative personnel gained no additional information that changed the probable cause of the crash.
Subsequent investigation by NTSB showed fuel cells were intact, and any fuel remaining after engine failure should have been present at the scene of the crash.
Pilot remains in serious condition.
As the FAA filed it
AT 0905 EASTERN TIME AN SR22 (^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^) TOOK OFF FROM COLUMBIA, SC (KCAE) DESTINED FOR DECATUR, ALABAMA (KDCU). AFTER TAKEOFF AND REACHING 8000 FEET THE PILOT DECLARED TO ATC THEY HAD AN ENGINE FAILURE AND WERE DIVERTING TO WHITE PLAINS AIRPORT IN LEXINGTON, SC (SC99). FLIGHT AWARE SHOWS A DESCENDING FLIGHT PATH CONSISTENT WITH ATTEMPTING TO GET ORIENTED FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT THAT AIRPORT.
FAA INSPECTORS ARRIVED AT ABOUT 1100 HOURS. A PERIMETER HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED BY LOCAL FIRE AND RESCUE. NO MEDIA WAS INITIALLY PRESENT. PRIOR TO ARRIVAL, ONE PERSON, BELIEVED TO BE THE PILOT, WAS TRANSPORTED BY EMS TO LOCAL EMERGENCY FOR TREATMENT. INITIAL INSPECTION OF THE SCENE SHOWED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CAME TO REST INVERTED ON A DIRT ROAD AFTER IMPACTING SEVERAL TREES ABOUT 1000 FEET SHORT OF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 27 AT SC99. THE FLIGHT PATH APPEARED CONSISTENT WITH BEING LINED UP CORRECTLY FOR RUNWAY 27. THE AIRCRAFT HAD A PARACHUTE SYSTEM THAT WAS NOT DEPLOYED AND APPEARED TO STILL BE ACTIVE AT THE CRASH SCENE. ON ADVICE OF CIRRUS MANUFACTURING, LEXINGTON COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT ESTABLISHED A 500-FOOT BUFFER, KEEPING ALL PERSONNEL AWAY. ONE DECEASED INDIVIDUAL REMAINED IN THE AIRCRAFT.
A CIRRUS REP AND NTSB ARRIVED AT ABOUT 1700 HOURS. AT ABOUT 1800, CIRRUS REP DEACTIVATED THE PYROS FOR THE PARACHUTE SYSTEM AND RESCUE WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE FINAL VICTIM FROM THE INVERTED AIRCRAFT. ON SCENE INVESTIGATION SHOWED NO SIGNS OF FUEL LEAKING OR PRESENT ON THE GROUND IN NOTABLE QUANTITIES. INSPECTORS AND NTSB COULD DETECT A FAINT SMELL OF AVGAS NEAR THE ENGINE BLOCK. LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SECURED THE CRASH SCENE FOR THE NIGHT.
THE FOLLOWING DAY THE NTSB, CIRRUS REP, AND FAA INSPECTORS RETURNED TO COMPLETE ON SCENE INVESTIGATION AND AIRCRAFT REMOVAL. INVESTIGATIVE PERSONNEL GAINED NO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT CHANGED THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE CRASH.
SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION BY NTSB SHOWED FUEL CELLS WERE INTACT, AND ANY FUEL REMAINING AFTER ENGINE FAILURE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PRESENT AT THE SCENE OF THE CRASH.
PILOT REMAINS IN SERIOUS CONDITION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.