# NTSB CEN24LA138: Cirrus Design SR20, N788JN, Aitkin, MN, March 18, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 18, 2024, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Aitkin, MN - Coordinates: 46.55053, -93.674102 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.5505&lon=-93.6741&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 193964 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA138 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193964/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193964 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA138 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff in crosswind conditions. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed 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) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: 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) - [Takeoff: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); 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 student pilot reported that during rotation, “all of a sudden the back of the plane kicked to the right and at the same time caused me to takeoff [to] the left.” He attempted to abort the takeoff; however, the airplane impacted marsh terrain adjacent to the left side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to right wing and main wing spar. He reported that he was aware of crosswind conditions at the time of the takeoff but not too concerned because he had landed and took off in those conditions on previous flights. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N788JN](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N788JN), registered now, S/N 1427, built 2004 (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 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-360-series) (registry code 17025, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1427 - Year built: 2004 - Airframe hours: 3600 - Engines: Continental IO-360-ES 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 13, 2024 - Destination: 9WN2, Voyageur Village, MN - Airport: AIT, Aitkin Muni/Steve Kurtz Fld, runway 16/34, 4,000 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, Airframe parachute, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 46.6 total, 40.5 in this make and model, 40.5 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 8 knots ## 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 20240318002389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240318002389A), Mar 18, 2024: Cirrus Design Corp SR20, Aitkin, MN, Substantial damage. The aircraft was substantially damaged during an attempted takeoff from runway 34. The student pilot (PIC) was the only occupant of the aircraft and sustained… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193964. 3.4 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=16973572&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 79 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16974753&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation - FAA (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16974547&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20FAA-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16974479&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.