# NTSB CEN23LA185: Cirrus Design SR22, N433CF, Midland, TX, May 9, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 9, 2023, 08:00 local (13:00 UTC) - Place: Midland, TX - Coordinates: 31.942214, -102.23484 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.9422&lon=-102.2348&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - Lubbock FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 174535 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA185 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/174535/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=174535 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA185 ## Probable cause The pilot’s inadequate fuel management which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR22, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2130001), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR22, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=2130001), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR22, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=2130001), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR22, 50 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2130001), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR22, 113 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2130001), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that when he was about 6 miles from the destination airport, the engine began running very rough. The pilot turned 180° toward an alternate airport that he had just flown over and declared an emergency. He attempted to troubleshoot the engine roughness, but was unsuccessful, and the engine lost total power. Unable to reach the runway, the pilot conducted a forced landing to a rough field. During the forced landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the right fuel tank contained no usable fuel, and the left fuel tank contained about 25 gallons of fuel. The fuel selector was found in the right fuel tank position. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. After the accident, the pilot stated that he had no memory of changing tanks during the flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N433CF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N433CF), registered now, S/N 0710 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22 - Registry model: [Cirrus Design SR22](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22) (registry code 2130001) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-550 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-550-series) (registry code 17042, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 0710 - Year built: 2003 - Airframe hours: 3492.1 - Engines: Continental IO-550-N 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 14, 2022 - Departed: KFWS, Fort Worth, TX - Destination: KODO, Odessa, TX - Airport: KMAF - Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Airframe parachute ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 2,254 total, 93 in this make and model, 2,186 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 7 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: KMAF, 1 nm away - METAR: KMAF 091253Z 20007KT 7SM CLR 19/11 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP095 T01890106 ## 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 20230509004679A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230509004679A), May 9, 2023: Cirrus Design Corp SR22, Midland, TX, Substantial damage. On may 9, 2023 at approximately 13:00 gmt (08:00 CDT), a Cirrus SR-22 bearing registration number[privacy data omitted], [privacy data omitted] landed in an… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 7, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=174535. 3.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15616232&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=2023-05-09%20N433CF%20NTSB%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15615584&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Statement%20N433CF_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 572 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15609705&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-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.