# NTSB CEN13LA261: Cirrus Design SR20, N161KT, Staples, MN, May 6, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 6, 2013, 11:40 local (16:40 UTC) - Place: Staples, MN - Coordinates: 46.380832, -94.806663 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.3808&lon=-94.8067&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 11, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Minneapolis FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 86833 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13LA261 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86833/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86833 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA261 ## Probable cause The pilot’s misjudged landing flare, which resulted in a porpoised landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 47 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 36 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that the landing approach to the hard surface runway was uneventful until the landing flare, when the airplane pitch descended below a normal flare attitude. The pilot reported that the nose landing gear “firmly” struck the runway before the main landing gear, which resulted in a bounced landing. The pilot stated that the airplane bounced a second time before he selected takeoff power and retracted the flaps to 50 percent in an attempt to abort the landing; however, the airplane did not achieve takeoff speed and subsequently departed the end of the runway and impacted a runway edge identifier light. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any preimpact failures or malfunctions that would have prevented normal operation. ## Factual narrative On May 6, 2013, at 1140 central daylight time, a Cirrus Design Corporation model SR20 airplane, N161KT, was substantially damaged while landing at Staples Municipal Airport (KSAZ), Staples, Minnesota. The airline transport pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, without a flight plan. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that departed KSAZ about 1110. The pilot reported that after a short local area flight he returned to the departure airport for a full stop landing. He stated that the landing approach to runway 32 (3,305 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) was uneventful until the landing flare when the airplane pitch descended below a normal flare attitude. The pilot reported the nose landing gear “firmly” struck the runway before the main landing gear, which resulted in a bounced landing. The pilot stated that the airplane bounced a second time before he selected takeoff power and retracted the wing flaps to 50-percent for an aborted landing; however, the airplane did not achieve takeoff speed and subsequently departed the end of the runway. The airplane impacted a runway edge identifier light during the runway excursion. The fuselage and empennage sustained substantial damage during the accident sequence. A postaccident examination of the airplane was conducted by inspectors with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after it had been recovered from the accident site. The observed damage to the lower fuselage and empennage was consistent with damage sustained during a tail strike and impact with the damaged runway edge identifier light. Both propeller blade tips were curled, consistent with a propeller ground strike during the accident sequence. The postaccident examination did not reveal any preimpact anomalies or malfunctions that would have prevented normal airplane operation. At 1133, the KSAZ automated surface observing system reported the following weather conditions: wind calm, visibility 10 miles, sky clear, temperature 16 degrees Celsius, dew point 7 degrees Celsius, altimeter setting 30.11 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N161KT](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N161KT), registered now, S/N 1144, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cirrus Design Corporation SR20 - Registry model: [Cirrus Design SR20](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr20) (registry code 2130000) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1144 - Airframe hours: 1119.5 - Engines: Teledyne Continental IO-360-ES 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 28, 2012 - Departed: KSAZ, Staples, MN - Destination: KSAZ, Staples, MN - Airport: KSAZ, Staples Municipal Airport, runway 32, 3,305 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; airline transport, flight engineer; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 6, 2011; seat: left; flight hours: 17,000 total, 20 in this make and model, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.11 inHg - Observed at: KSAZ ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20130506007519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130506007519A), May 6, 2013: Cirrus Design Corp SR20, Staples, MN, Substantial damage. Pilot was returning from a personal flight to Staples, MN (ksaz). During the landing flare, he reduced power and the nose of the aircraft dropped. He attempted… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 31, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86833. 616 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 457 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40393362&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Memorandum of Conversation (FAA Inspector Dave Nelson) (item 2, .PDF, 60 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40393363&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Conversation%20(FAA%20Inspector%20Dave%20Nelson)-Master.PDF - Weather Information (item 3, .PDF, 99 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40393364&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Information-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.