What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 17, 2026, at about 0954 mountain standard time, a Cirrus Design Corp SR22,
Sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near la cienega, new
Mexico. The pilot receiving instruction and the flight instructor were not injured. The airplane
Was operating as a title 14 code of federal regulations part 91 instructional flight.
The pilot receiving instruction reported that during the preflight inspection, no issues were
Found, and the airplane was filled with approximately 90 gallons of fuel. During the takeoff and
Initial climb, the flight instructor noticed that the engine was not producing maximum power.
He confirmed that the throttle was set to full forward and the mixture was adjusted to full rich.
At approximately 500 ft above ground level (AGL), while the pilot receiving instruction initiated a
Left turn to follow the instrument departure procedure, when the engine lost total power. The
Flight instructor took control of the airplane, leveled the wings, and deployed the Cirrus
Airframe parachute system (caps). Subsequently, the airplane descended under the
Parachute canopy and landed in a residential area near several homes.
Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage, wings, and empennage sustained
Substantial damage. The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 17, 2026, AT ABOUT 0954 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22,
SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR LA CIENEGA, NEW
MEXICO. THE PILOT RECEIVING INSTRUCTION AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE
WAS OPERATING AS A TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT.
THE PILOT RECEIVING INSTRUCTION REPORTED THAT DURING THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, NO ISSUES WERE
FOUND, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS FILLED WITH APPROXIMATELY 90 GALLONS OF FUEL. DURING THE TAKEOFF AND
INITIAL CLIMB, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT PRODUCING MAXIMUM POWER.
HE CONFIRMED THAT THE THROTTLE WAS SET TO FULL FORWARD AND THE MIXTURE WAS ADJUSTED TO FULL RICH.
AT APPROXIMATELY 500 FT ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL), WHILE THE PILOT RECEIVING INSTRUCTION INITIATED A
LEFT TURN TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUMENT DEPARTURE PROCEDURE, WHEN THE ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER. THE
FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, LEVELED THE WINGS, AND DEPLOYED THE CIRRUS
AIRFRAME PARACHUTE SYSTEM (CAPS). SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED UNDER THE
PARACHUTE CANOPY AND LANDED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA NEAR SEVERAL HOMES.
EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE FUSELAGE, WINGS, AND EMPENNAGE SUSTAINED
SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE WRECKAGE WAS RECOVERED TO A SECURE LOCATION FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.