DEN07LA082

According to the pilot, he was climbing from 15,000 feet to 16,000 feet to avoid building thunderstorms and snow showers. The pilot reported that he was in instrument meteorological conditions when the airspeed indication started to decrease and then the airspeed and altimeter readouts, within the primary flight display, went to "hash marks." The pilot stated that he manually overrode the autopilot to initiate a descent, and turned the pitot heat on. The pilot report that shortly thereafter the airspeed indication returned. The pilot sensed that he was in a descent and "pulled back" to slow the airplane down and the attitude indicator went "haywire." The terrain warning system activated and the pilot elected to activate the ballistic recovery parachute on the airplane. The airplane impacted trees and came to rest inverted at the top of several trees, resulting in substantial damage. In later telephone conversations with the pilot, he was asked about the position of the pitot heat, during the course of the flight. The pilot stated that he was not continuously in the clouds and the pitot heat remained off. He stated further that initially, he might have inadvertently turned the icing protection system on instead of the pitot heat. The switches are right next to each other. An examination of the primary flight display, and multi-function display revealed a loss of air data, due to pitot tube icing. An examination of the remaining airplane systems revealed no anomalies.

History of flight

On April 9, 2007, at 1159 mountain daylight time, a Cirrus SR22, N953CD, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees, 16 miles north of Luna, New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The pilot was not injured. The cross-country flight originated at Tucson, Arizona, and was en route to Englewood, Colorado.

According to several telephone conversations with the pilot, he said he was climbing from 15,000 feet to 16,000 feet to avoid building thunderstorms and snow showers. The pilot reported that he was in instrument meteorological conditions when the airspeed indication started to decrease and then the airspeed and altimeter readouts, within the primary flight display, went to "hash marks."

The pilot stated that he manually overrode the autopilot to initiate a descent, and turned the pitot heat on. The pilot report that shortly thereafter the airspeed indication returned. The pilot sensed that he was in a descent and "pulled back" to slow the airplane down and the attitude indicator went "haywire." The terrain warning system activated and the pilot elected to activate the ballistic recovery parachute on the airplane. The airplane impacted trees and came to rest inverted at the top of several trees. The empennage separated from the airplane. The outboard portion of the right wing was crushed aft and had partially separated.

In a written statement, submitted by the pilot, he wrote that the airplane was "getting hit by snow pellets." He stated that he "turned the TKS [ice protection system] on to maximum and set the windshield defroster to its highest setting." The pilot contacted air traffic control and requested another altitude to "get out of the clouds", as he was "in light icing." The pilot wrote that when he completed a routing change, he noted that the numbers on the airspeed indicator were red. The pilot stated that he "immediately pushed the nose down." Shortly thereafter, the airspeed indication when to "hatch marks." He stated that the "altitude indicator also gave no indication of altitude and appeared to have completely failed." The pilot wrote that a cross check of the back-up airspeed indicator showed no readings.

The pilot wrote that he "cycled the TKS switches and turned on the pitot heat." He sensed he was in a descent and was "gaining a lot of airspeed." The pilot stated that he "pulled back on the stick" and observed his "back-up airspeed indicator needle jump" and the "PFD airspeed indicator started to read 159." The pilot wrote that the terrain warning "sounded" and he elected to activate the parachute.

The pilot provided a drawing of the Primary Flight Display, as he observed it. The pilot illustrated the attitude indicator as an empty circle with "no triangle." The pilot also illustrated a small block of hatch marks where the airspeed reading would normally be, in addition to a "red X" where the altimeter reading would be.

Personnel information

The pilot, age 32, held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single engine land and instrument ratings which was issued on March 25, 2007. He was issued a third class airman medical certificate on September 21, 2006. The certificate contained no limitations.

According to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) submitted by the pilot, he had logged a total of 340 hours total time. The pilot reported that he had logged 193 hours in the make and model of the accident airplane. In addition, the pilot had logged 54 hours of instrument flight time; 5 hours of which were in actual instrument meteorological conditions.

The pilot obtained Cirrus transition training through the Aspen Flying Club and attended some Cirrus training through the University of North Dakota. The training he attended through the university was as a spectator and not a student.

Aircraft information

The accident airplane, a Cirrus Design Corporation SR22 (serial number 1766), was manufactured in 2005. It was registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on a standard airworthiness certificate for normal operations. A Teledyne Continental Motors engine, rated at 310 horsepower at 2700 rpm, powered the airplane. The engine was equipped with a 3-blade, variable pitch, Hartzell propeller.

The airplane was registered to JCT 3 Leasing LLC, operated by the pilot, and was maintained under a 100-hour inspection program. A review of the maintenance records indicated that an annual/100 hour inspection had been completed on March 6, 2007, at an airframe total time of 534 hours. The airplane had flown 57.6 hours between the last inspection and the accident.

Meteorological information

Doppler weather radar in Albuquerque (ABX), New Mexico, and Coconino County (FSX), Arizona (approximately 140 nautical miles (nm) northeast and 136 nm northwest of the accident location, respectively) scanned the accident area at 1151:38 and 1152:40. The radar beam for ABX was centered over the accident location at 22,500 feet mean sea level (msl), with a beam width of 12,400 feet. The radar beam for FSX was centered over the accident area at 23,200 feet msl with a beam width of 12,000 feet. Data indicated reflectivity values of zero to 10 dBz in the accident area around the accident time.

Aviation area forecasts were issued for New Mexico the day of the accident. The forecast for the northern mountains and western New Mexico was as follows: sky condition broken 9,000 feet to 10,000 feet; cloud tops at 17,000 feet; widely scattered light rain showers. Starting at 1200 (local) to 1500, sky condition scattered to broken at 10,000 feet, broken 14,000 feet; widely scattered light rain showers; light thunderstorms; cumulonimbus tops to flight level (FL) 350. The outlook was for visual flight rules (VFR).

The forecast for the southern mountains and west was as follows: sky condition, scattered at 14,000 feet, scattered ceilings. The forecast, starting at 1200 to 1500, called for sky condition scattered 11,000 feet, scattered 15,000 feet; isolated rain showers; light thunderstorms; cumulonimbus tops to FL 350. The outlook was for VFR.

Airman's Meteorological Information (AIRMET) for icing (ZULU) was issued for areas in New Mexico, including the accident airplane's route of flight. AIRMET ZULU was for a forecast area from 30 miles east/southeast of Grand Junction VOR (JNC) to 40 east/southeast of Pueblo to Roswell to Truth or Consequences to Saint Johns and back to JNC. The AIRMET stated to expect moderate icing between 10,000 feet and 17,000 feet. The route of flight was just south of AIRMETs for instrument flight rules (IFR) and mountain obscuration (SIERRA). The AIRMET for IFR stated to expect ceilings below 1,000 feet with visibility below 3 statute miles due to mist. The AIRMET for mountain obscuration stated to expect mountains to be obscured by clouds, mist, and fog. Significant meteorological information (SIGMET) or center weather advisories had not been issued for the time of the accident.

The closest official weather observation station was Saint Johns (SJN), Arizona, located 43 nm northwest of the accident site. The elevation of the weather observation station was 5,736 feet msl. The routine aviation weather report (METAR) for SJN, issued at 1154, reported winds, 310 degrees at 15 knots, gusting 23 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; sky condition, few clouds at 3,800 feet, scattered clouds at 4,500 feet, broken clouds at 8,500 feet; temperature, 16 degrees Celsius (C); dewpoint, 06 degrees C; altimeter, 29.92.

According to the pilot, he obtained a weather briefing from the Denver Automated Flight Service Station, the morning of the accident. The pilot stated that he was aware of the AIRMET for ic