ERA15LA192

NTSB accident investigation · Cirrus Design SR22 · Fort Myers, FL · April 19, 2015

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
April 19, 2015, 14:55 local (18:55 UTC)
Place
Fort Myers, FL
Injuries
4 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N88AXCirrus Design SR22
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 21, 2015
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA/FSDO
Case key
91054

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's improper decision to land the airplane with a quartering, gusting tailwind and his subsequent failure to flare the airplane and maintain directional control after it bounced, which resulted in a runway excursion.

Findings · 7

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedCirrus Design SR22: 35 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotCirrus Design SR22: 94 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Wind: tailwindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationCirrus Design SR22: 9 casesAll aircraft: 594 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide pathAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedCirrus Design SR22: 14 casesAll aircraft: 809 casesProbable cause
Wind: gustsEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationCirrus Design SR22: 13 casesAll aircraft: 1,199 casesProbable cause
Object/animal/substance: tree(s)Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcomeCirrus Design SR22: 11 casesAll aircraft: 933 cases

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

The pilot stated that he checked the weather at a local airport and subsequently chose to land on a runway at his destination airport with a quartering tailwind and gusts to 20 knots. While the pilot was performing a steep approach to the runway, a crosswind "push[ed]" the airplane to the left. Further, the pilot did not flare the airplane, and, during the landing, the airplane touched down on the runway and bounced. The pilot added full throttle in an attempt to perform a go-around, but the airplane slid off the runway. He then retarded the engine throttle and attempted to "straighten" out the landing roll; however, the airplane struck a tree, became airborne again, struck more trees, and finally came to rest upright near a house. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. In addition, he stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had flown over the field, evaluated the wind sock, and conducted a longer approach flight pattern.

Factual narrative

On April 19, 2015, about 1455 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus Design Corp. SR22, N88AX, was substantially damaged when it impacted a parked airplane, a house, and trees during the landing at Pine Shadows Airpark (94FL), Fort Myers, Florida. The private pilot and three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated at Key West International Airport (EWY), Key West, Florida.According to the pilot, he listened to the weather information at Page Field Airport (FMY), Fort Myers, Florida, which was about 9 miles to the south of the accident location and elected to land on runway 09, a 3,200-foot-long, 50-foot-wide asphalt runway. He made visual contact with the runway about 1 mile from the airport. During the final approach leg of the traffic pattern, the airplane had a "steeper angle descent" to the runway when a crosswind "push[ed]" the airplane to the left. In addition, during the landing he did not flare the airplane, which resulted in a "bounce." The pilot added full throttle in an attempt to perform a go-around maneuver, but the airplane was off the runway "sliding towards [a] road and hangar." Then the pilot retarded the engine throttle, attempted to "straighten" out the landing roll, however, the airplane struck a tree, a parked airplane, a house, became airborne again, struck more trees, and finally came to rest upright near a house. All four occupants egressed without injury. The 1453 automated weather observation at FMY, included winds from 210 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 20 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 29 degrees C, dew point 22 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.91 inches of mercury. According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector that responded to the accident location, the airplane came to rest approximately 2,500 feet from the initial touch down point. The fuselage and wings were substantially damaged in the accident sequence. In addition, the empennage was separated from the fuselage. The pilot reported in the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report, Form 6120.1, that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. In addition, under the Operator/Owner Safety Recommendation section of the form, he stated that he would "fly over the field, evaluate wind sock, and longer approach flight pattern."

Aircraft

Registration
N88AX
Reported as
Cirrus Design SR22
Category
Airplane
Serial number
0711
Built
2003
Engine
Cont Motor IO-550 SERIES, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Alpha X-Ray LLC
Registered owner
Alpha X-Ray LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
EYW · Key West, FL
Destination
94FL · Fort Myers, FL
Airport
94FL · Pine Shadows Airpark, runway 09, 3,200 × 50 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
55
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
November 12, 2013
Seat
Right
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
731 total · 151 in this make and model · 731 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
210° at 13 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
88 °F, dew point 72 °F
Altimeter
29.90 inHg
Observed at
KFMY, 9 nm away

Docket · 4

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 23, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 2

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.