CEN10LA502

NTSB accident investigation · Cirrus Design SR20 · Porter, TX · August 24, 2010

Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
August 23, 2010, 22:30 local (Aug 24, 2010, 03:30 UTC)
Place
Porter, TX
Injuries
1 serious
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N8154MCirrus Design SR20
Defining event
Landing-aborted after touchdown: Collision during takeoff/land
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night
Status
Completed · report October 3, 2011
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20100823043639A
Case key
77097

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's delay in performing a go-around, which resulted in an impact with trees.

Findings · 1

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Action: delayed actionPersonnel issues › Action/decision · PilotCirrus Design SR20: 15 casesAll aircraft: 894 casesProbable cause

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

The airplane bounced on landing and the pilot had trouble getting the airplane to settle back to the runway. Concerned that he was not going to be able to stop on the remaining runway, the pilot elected to perform a go-around. The pilot applied full engine power and retracted the flaps; however, the airplane settled into trees 2,200 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground and came to rest in a nose-down, near-vertical position. The pilot reported that the wind was light and variable at the time, and that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to the accident.

Factual narrative

On August 23, 2010, about 2230 central daylight time, a Cirrus Design Corp SR20, N8154M, was substantially damaged during impact with terrain during an attempted go-around maneuver at the North Houston Business Airport, (K9X1) Porter, Texas. The private pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight originated from the West Houston Airport (KIWS), Houston, Texas, around 2200. The pilot reported that the airplane bounced on landing and that he had trouble getting the airplane to settle back to the runway. Concerned that he was not going to be able to stop on the remaining runway, the pilot elected to perform a go-around maneuver. The pilot applied full engine power and retracted the flaps; however, the airplane settled into trees 2,200 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. As the airplane began to impact trees, the pilot deployed the airplane's ballistic parachute. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground and came to rest in a nose down, near vertical position. Both wings and the fuselage were structurally damaged during the accident. The pilot further reported that the winds were light and variable at the time, and that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to the accident.

Aircraft

Registration
N8154M
Reported as
Cirrus Design SR20
Category
Airplane
Serial number
1371
Airframe hours
1,130
Engine
Cont Motor IO-360 SER, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Victor Bravo LLC
Registered owner
Victor Bravo LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · August 19, 2010
Departed
IWS · Houston, TX
Destination
9X1 · Porter, TX
Airport
9X1 · North Houston Business, runway 35, 3,594 × 46 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
37
Injuries
Serious
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
September 4, 2008
Seat
Left
Flight hours
329 total · 113 in this make and model · 305 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
82 °F, dew point 72 °F
Observed at
IAH, 10 nm away

Docket · 6

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 19, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 843 KB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.