ERA16CA056

NTSB accident investigation · Cirrus Design SR22 · Danbury, CT · November 24, 2015

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
November 24, 2015, 18:18 local (23:18 UTC)
Place
Danbury, CT
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N771BTCirrus Design SR22
Defining event
Approach-VFR pattern final: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Dusk
Status
Completed · report March 14, 2016
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA/FSDO
FAA report
20151124018679A
Case key
92394

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 failure to maintain adequate clearance from obstructions while on approach to landing.

Findings · 3

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: altitudeAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedCirrus Design SR22: 10 casesAll aircraft: 1,310 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

Upon arrival at the pilot's destination airport, the wind was calm, there was no ceiling, and the visibility was unlimited. Sunset had already occurred. Air traffic control directed the pilot to enter a left downwind for the active runway. The pilot then entered the left downwind for the runway at approximately 1,500 feet and confirmed the pattern altitude with air traffic control as there were nearby radio towers. The pilot elected to fly an extended downwind beyond the radio towers, turned left base and then final. On the turn to final, the pilot slightly overshot the runway centerline and then adjusted to align with the runway. Upon turning final, the tower controller realized the runway edge lights (MIRL) were at low intensity, advised him, and increased their intensity making the runway more visible. The runway end identifier lights (REIL) were out of service and the displaced threshold for the runway was unlighted. On final approach, the pilot heard a "thunk" sound and felt a slight jolt as if something had struck the airplane. The pilot continued the approach and landed, touching down beyond the displaced threshold and then taxied to the ramp. Post flight inspection by the pilot revealed that the right wing had a yellowish goo spattered on top of it, a large dent in the TKS anti-ice panel on the leading edge of the outer part of the wing, a small dent in the TKS anti-ice panel on the leading edge more inward on the wing, a third dent on the corner of the leading edge of the composite cap at the end of the wing, and chipped paint on the top of the wing. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector also revealed that a piece of wood with bark on one side of it was wedged between the right wing tiedown ring and the wing structure. Examination of the airplane by maintenance personnel revealed that the solid laminate and sandwich structure of the wing had been substantially damaged. Examination of the surrounding area revealed that trees were present along and below the flight path for the runway. Review of the Airport Facility Directory also revealed that it advised that 88 foot tall trees were present 450 feet from the runway which took a 3:1 slope to clear.

Factual narrative

Upon arrival at the pilot's destination airport, the winds were calm, there was no ceiling, and the visibility was unlimited. Sunset had already occurred. Air traffic control directed the pilot to enter a left downwind for the active runway. The pilot then entered the left downwind for the runway at approximately 1,500 feet and confirmed the pattern altitude with air traffic control as there were nearby radio towers. The pilot elected to fly an extended downwind beyond the radio towers, turned left base and then final. On the turn to final, the pilot slightly overshot the runway centerline and then adjusted to align with the runway. Upon turning final, the tower controller realized the runway edge lights (MIRL) were at low intensity, advised him, and increased their intensity making the runway more visible. The runway end identifier lights (REIL) were out of service and the displaced threshold for the runway was unlighted. On final approach, the pilot heard a "thunk" sound and felt a slight jolt as if something had struck the airplane. The pilot continued the approach and landed, touching down beyond the displaced threshold and then taxied to the ramp. Post flight inspection by the pilot revealed that the right wing had a yellowish goo spattered on top of it, a large dent in the anti-ice panel on the leading edge of the outer part of the wing, a small dent in the anti-ice panel on the leading edge farther inboard on the wing, a third dent on the corner of the leading edge of the composite cap at the end of the wing, and chipped paint on the top of the wing. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector also revealed that a piece of wood with tree bark on one side of it was wedged between the right wing tiedown ring and the wing structure. Examination of the airplane by maintenance personnel revealed that the solid laminate and sandwich structure of the wing had been substantially damaged. Examination of the surrounding area revealed that trees were present along and below the flight path for the runway. Review of the Airport Facility Directory also revealed that it advised that 88 foot tall trees were present 450 feet from the runway which took a 3:1 slope to clear.

Aircraft

Registration
N771BT
Reported as
Cirrus Design SR22 (NO SERIES)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
3622
Built
2010
Airframe hours
812.8
Engine
Cont Motor IO-550-N-61B, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · September 2, 2015
Departed
HPN · White Plains, NY
Destination
DXR · Danbury, CT
Airport
DXR · Danbury Municipal Airport, runway 26, 4,422 × 150 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Auto-pilot, Airframe parachute, Stall warning system, Satellite tracking device, Electronic flight bag or handheld device

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
49
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
March 19, 2014
Seat
Left
Restraint
4-point
Flight hours
284 total · 182 in this make and model · 178 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Dusk
Wind
230° at 3 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
32 °F, dew point 21 °F
Altimeter
30.39 inHg
Observed at
DXR

Docket · 5

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 23, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 8.2 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

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