# NTSB CEN26LA011: Cirrus Design SR20, N78RC, Portage, WI, October 1, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 1, 2025, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC) - Place: Portage, WI - Coordinates: 43.560262, -89.482911 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.5603&lon=-89.4829&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 30, 2025 - 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): 201803 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN26LA011 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201803/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201803 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA011 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to maintain proper airspeed and attitude for a short field landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: pitch control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 526 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); 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) - [Landing: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 319 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot was attempting a short field landing. While on final approach he slowed to just above 70 knots. Just after this, the instructor noticed the pitch attitude increase and the airspeed decrease so he called out, “go around, go, go!” and attempted to help advance the throttle but the student was already doing it. The airplane landed just beyond the runway numbers and then became airborne again. The student and instructor completed the traffic pattern and landed uneventfully. The flight instructor examined the main landing gear and did not find any damage present, so they returned to their home base whereupon the flight instructor found substantial damage to the structure for the vertical stabilizer. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions of failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N78RC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N78RC), registered now, S/N 1259, built 2002 (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: 1259 - Year built: 2002 - Airframe hours: 2087.8 - Engines: Continental IO-360 ES 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Wisconsin Aviation - Four Lakes Inc. - Registered owner: Aviaries LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 11, 2025 - Departed: KMSN, Madison, WI - Destination: C47, Portage, WI - Airport: C47, Portage Muni, runway 18, 3,770 × 60 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B, Airframe parachute, Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 11, 2024; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,963.3 total, 417 in this make and model, 1,858.6 as pilot in command, 192.7 in the last 90 days, 65.8 in the last 30 days, 0.5 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 31; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 180.3 total, 126.8 in this make and model, 12 as pilot in command, 36.3 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 110° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.24 inHg - Observed at: KDLL, 13 nm away - METAR: METAR KDLL 011535Z AUTO 11006KT 10SM CLR 22/14 A3024 RMK AO2 T02180143= ## 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 20251001015209A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251001015209A), Oct 1, 2025: Cirrus Design Corp SR20, Portage, WI, Substantial damage. Certified flight instructor (CFI) was overseeing a training flight with a student who was having issues with pattern entries, which led them to practice at C47… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 4, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201803. 2.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19423479&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN26LA011%20-%206120_1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 2 photos, 418 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19416753&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN26LA011%20-%20PHOTOS-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.