# NTSB CEN23LA093: Cirrus Design SR20, N99EC, Indianapolis, IN, January 24, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: January 24, 2023, 15:39 local (20:39 UTC) - Place: Indianapolis, IN - Coordinates: 39.701295, -86.136893 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7013&lon=-86.1369&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA, Cirrus Aircraft - NTSB case key (mKey): 106630 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA093 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106630/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106630 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA093 ## Probable cause The pilot’s intentional flight into terrain as an act of suicide. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Intentional act: suicide](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02051015): Personnel issues › Miscellaneous · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02051015/cases.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 23 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02051015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470) (defining event); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 39 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airplane, rented by the pilot, departed on a reported short cross-country flight. Flight track data showed that after takeoff, the airplane climbed to an altitude of about 1,000 ft above ground level and traveled southeast. Near the end of the flight, the airplane performed a 360° turn and began a rapid descent. The highly fragmented wreckage was located adjacent to a railroad track in a residential area. The airplane damage was consistent with a high angle and high energy impact with terrain. Examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Following a death investigation, the coroner classified the manner of death as a suicide. ## Factual narrative On January 24, 2023, about 1539 eastern standard time, a Cirrus SR20 airplane, N99EC, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Indianapolis, Indiana. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was being operated as a Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast data (ADS-B), the airplane departed the Indianapolis Executive Airport, Indianapolis, Indiana, about 1526. After takeoff, the airplane turned left, climbed to about 1,000 ft above ground level, and continued to the southeast past downtown Indianapolis. South of downtown and near the end of the data, the airplane made a 360° left turn and began a rapid descent (see Figure 1.). A residential surveillance camera captured the impact sequence and showed the airplane impact in a nose and right-wing low attitude. There were no witnesses to the accident. Figure 1. Airplane’s ADS-B flight track The airplane wreckage was located adjacent to a single railroad track and several residential homes. The initial impact point, which was consistent with the propeller, engine, forward fuselage, and both wings, was located about 20 ft from the main wreckage. The initial impact contained the propeller blades and fragmented sections of the forward fuselage. Fragmented sections of the fuselage, wings, and empennage were found forward of the main wreckage. The airplane damage was consistent with a high angle and high energy impact with terrain. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations. An autopsy of the pilot was performed by the Marion County Coroner’s Office, Indianapolis, Indiana. The autopsy report listed the cause of death as blunt force trauma, and the manner of death as suicide. The Federal Aviation Administration Forensic Sciences Laboratory performed toxicology testing on specimens from the pilot. Testing was negative for ethanol and carbon monoxide. An unspecified level of Fentanyl was detected in the blood (cavity). ## Aircraft - Registration: [N99EC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N99EC), registered now, S/N 2307, built 2016 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR20 - Registry model: [Cirrus Design SR20](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr20) (registry code 2130000) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-360-ES](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-360-es) (registry code 17160, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 2307 - Year built: 2016 - Airframe hours: 2532.7 - Engines: CONT MOTOR IO-360-ES 26B 210 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, November 21, 2022 - Airport: TYQ - Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Data recorder, Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, Airframe parachute ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 20; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; toxicology performed; flight hours: 219.5 total, 197.5 in this make and model, 32.8 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: KIND, 7 nm away - METAR: METAR KIND 242054Z 23003KT 10SM FEW030 OVC250 06/M02 A3014 RMK AO2 SLP212 T00611022 56024= ## 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 20230124000209A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230124000209A), Jan 24, 2023: Cirrus Design Corp SR20, Indianapolis, IN, Destroyed, 1 fatal. On January 24th, 2023 at approximately 15:27 EST aircraft [privacy data omitted], a Cirrus Design Corp, model SR20 [privacy data omitted] departed runway 36… ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 27, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106630. 9.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15311161&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Signed_N99EC%206120_1web_Reader_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Flight track (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 576 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15311230&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ADSB%20Track-Rel.pdf - ADS-B data (item 3, CSV, 4.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15310656&FileExtension=csv&FileName=20230124_ADD0B1_506094385_ADSB-Rel.csv - Autopsy memo (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 208 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15311493&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Autopsy%20Memo-Rel.pdf - Toxicological report (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 374 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15311250&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Tox_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident site photograph (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15310666&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf - Statement of party representatives to NTSB investigation - Cirrus (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 870 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15311503&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN23LA093%20-%20Cirrus%20Signed%20Party%20Form_Redacted-Rel.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.