# NTSB ERA23FA182: Cirrus Design SR22, N911TK, Jesup, GA, April 6, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report - Date: April 6, 2023, 07:50 local (11:50 UTC) - Place: Jesup, GA · 1,200 ft short of runway 29 threshold - Coordinates: 31.55222, -81.86972 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.5522&lon=-81.8697&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: Cirrus Aircraft, FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 107019 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23FA182 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/107019/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107019 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA182 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in a loss of control while maneuvering for a visual landing in low ceiling and low visibility conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to attempt a visual landing in low visibility conditions. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [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 SR22, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=2130001), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR22, 38 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2130001), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Ceiling/visibility/precip: low ceiling](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035010): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Decision related to condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR22, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035010/cases.md?model=2130001), [All aircraft, 190 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR22, 94 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2130001), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR22, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=2130001), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR22, 74 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2130001), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR22, 113 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2130001), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The instrument-rated private pilot was commuting to work in his airplane. The pilot did not request any air traffic control services for the 22-minute flight, and the airspace at the destination airport was not tower-controlled. Recorded track data revealed that the pilot began a descent to the destination airport and crossed over the approach end of the runway on a heading perpendicular to the runway heading. He then made two turns of about 180° while flying at airspeeds near the airplane’s published stall speed, and reached about 40° of bank during each turn. Additionally, the post-accident position of the flaps suggested that at least the final phase of this maneuvering was being performed with the wing flaps retracted. The airplane impacted terrain about 1,200 ft short of the runway approach end and about 40 ft north of runway centerline. Although there was an instrument approach procedure for the runway, the track data revealed that there was no attempt by the pilot to execute it. The lowest weather minimums for the approach required at least one mile visibility. Weather at the destination airport at the time of the accident included a 300-ft ceiling, ¼ mile visibility in fog, and calm wind. The weather conditions cleared about an hour after the accident. A postaccident examination of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of a mechanical malfunction or anomaly that would have precluded normal operation. Engine operation was recorded on the onboard avionics and revealed increasing power at impact consistent with the pilot advancing the throttle. Based on this information, it is likely that the pilot attempted to fly under the low overcast while trying to acquire the airport visually. During this attempt, he excessively banked the airplane at slow speed, and with the wing flaps retracted, exceeded the airplane’s critical angle of attack, and lost control of the airplane, resulting in a collision with terrain. His tendency to not be late for appointments may have added self-induced pressure and affected his decision-making during the flight. ## Factual narrative According to the Cirrus Design SR22 Pilot’s Operating Handbook, at the maximum gross weight of 3,400 lbs, stall speed with flaps up and 45° bank was 81 kts indicated airspeed (KIAS) at the most aft center of gravity (G.G.) and was 84 KIAS with flaps up and 45° bank at the most forward C.G. With flaps full down, the stall speeds under the same conditions were 72 and 73 KIAS, respectively. On April 6, 2023, about 0750 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus Design Corporation SR22, N911TK, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Jesup, Georgia. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to recorded data from the airplane’s primary flight display (PFD) and multi-function display (MFD), the airplane took off from Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport (FHB), Fernandina Beach, Florida, about 0728, climbed to about 1,800 ft, and flew to the north-northwest. About 0746, the airplane began descending. The pilot did not request any air traffic control services during the flight. As the airplane approached Jesup-Wayne County Airport (JES), Jesup, Georgia, from the south, it slowed to an indicated airspeed of about 75 knots (kts) and maintained this airspeed within ±5 kts for the remainder of the recording. Track data showed that the airplane initially crossed over the approach end of runway 29 perpendicular to the runway heading (see Figure 1). At 07:50:03, the airplane began to roll right to an ultimate bank angle of about 40° at 07:50:37, and then immediately rolled left to 40°. The airplane subsequently began to roll slightly back towards wings level before it rolled left and pitched down. The MFD stopped recording at 07:51:00, and the PFD stopped recording at 07:51:09. Figure 1 – Final Flight Track and Wreckage Location There was a published RNAV GPS approach to runway 29; however, the airplane’s recorded flight track was inconsistent with that instrument approach procedure. The lowest weather minimums for the approach required at least one mile visibility. The airport was equipped with an Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) and the 0750 observation included ¼-mile visibility in fog, calm wind, and a ceiling of 300 ft. Airport personnel who arrived to work about 5 minutes after the accident reported and documented fog on the ramp at the time of their arrival. The AWOS reports issued surrounding the time of the accident indicated that restricted visibilities in mist were first observed at 0615, with dense fog being reported from 0635 through about 0820, then mist at 0821 through 0835 before clearing at 0855. According to the pilot’s flight instructor, the pilot completed an instrument proficiency check on September 29, 2021, in the accident airplane. No record of a current flight review per 14 CFR 61.56 (a) and (c) was found. His most recent logged flight review was completed on September 11, 2019. According to interviews with thepilot’s spouse and the JES airport manager, the pilot owned the airplane and used it to commute between his home in Fernandina Beach, Florida and Jesup, where he owned a chiropractic practice. His wife reported that he was “obsessed with weather” and they had an agreement that he would take “no chances” regarding the weather. If the weather was questionable, he would drive instead. The pilot’s spouse and the airport manager both reported the pilot was never late for appointments. His office opened at 0800; however, his spouse did not know what time his first appointment was. The wreckage came to rest upright, and there was no fire. Ground signatures were consistent with a right-wing-low, nose-low impact with terrain. The wreckage came to rest near to the point of initial ground impact on a heading of 040°. The wing flaps actuator was found in the retracted (up) position. One of the propeller blades fractured during the impact sequence. The blades exhibited chordwise scratching, surface polishing, and “S” bending signatures. The airplane was equipped with the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS). The system had not activated, and the parachute was not deployed. The CAPS safety pin was found in place in the CAPS handle holder. The airplane was equipped with electronic multifunction and primary flight displays. The non-volatile memory from those units were forwarded to the National Transportation Safety Board Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for examination and download of the data. Recorded engine data from the Avidyne components revealed that the engine was in operation at the time of impact with the terrain, and the data was consistent with an application of power during the last few seconds. The last recorded engine parameters indicated 2,290 rpm, oil pressure 51 psi, oil temperature 178°F, fuel flow 17.1 gph, and manifold pressure 24.9 inHg. Examination of the airframe, engine and propeller did not reveal evidence of a mechanical malfunction or anomaly that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N911TK](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N911TK), registered now, S/N 1001, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22 - Registry model: [Cirrus Design SR22](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22) (registry code 2130001) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-550 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-550-series) (registry code 17042, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1001 - Year built: 2004 - Airframe hours: 977.8 - Engines: Continental IO-550-N (27) 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 9, 2022, 23 hours before - Departed: FHB, Fernandina Beach, FL - Destination: JES, Jesup, GA - Airport: JES, Jesup-Wayne County, runway 29, 5,500 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Airframe parachute, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 953 total, 419 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 0.25 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 300 ft overcast - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.23 inHg - Observed at: KJES, 1 nm away - METAR: KJES 061150Z AUTO 00000KT 1/4SM FG OVC003 17/16 A3023 RMK AO2 ## 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 20230406013859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230406013859A), Apr 6, 2023: Cirrus Design Corp SR22, Jesup, GA, Destroyed, 1 fatal. The private pilot, sole occupant, was fatally injured. The aircraft was registered to a private company and operated by the company’s [privacy data omitted].… ## Docket (20 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 29, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107019. 68.5 MB in all. - Combined interview summaries (item 1, PDF, 6 pages, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16557967&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=4%20AS-60%20Combined%20Interview%20Summaries-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record - flight instructor interview (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 744 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16558467&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=5%20NTSB%20Memorandum%20for%20Record%20CFII%20Interview_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's logbook excerpts (item 3, PDF, 23 pages, 27.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16557977&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=5%20Wasdin%20Logbook%20Excerpts_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's training records (item 4, PDF, 13 pages, 18.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16557987&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6%20Cirrus%20Training%20Records%20Wasdin-Rel.pdf - Excerpts - aircraft logbook (item 5, PDF, 11 pages, 8.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16558477&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=7%20Aircraft%20Log%20N911TK_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Excerpts - engine logbook (item 6, PDF, 13 pages, 2.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16558487&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=8%20Engine%20Logbook_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Excerpt - SR22 POH - stall speeds (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 79 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18196378&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=SR22%20POH%20Stall%20Speeds-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 8, PDF, 7 pages, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16558497&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=10%20Investigation%20Photographs-Rel.pdf - Meteorology (item 9, PDF, 26 pages, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15580539&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA23FA182%20-%20Jesup,%20GA%20WX%20Factual-Rel.pdf - Wreckage diagram (item 10, PDF, 1 page, 442 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16558281&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=10a%20Wreckage%20Diagram-Rel.pdf - Wreckage examination summary (item 11, PDF, 8 pages, 150 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16558507&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=11%20NTSB%20Examination%20Summary-Rel.pdf - Toxicological report (item 12, PDF, 1 page, 417 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16557997&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=15%20Tox%20Pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Medical factual memorandum for record (item 13, PDF, 2 pages, 137 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17793001&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA23FA182_MedicalFactualMemo-Rel.pdf - Statement of party representatives to NTSB investigation (item 14, PDF, 14 pages, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16558291&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=20%20Party%20Forms%20Cirrus_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Cockpit displays - specialist's factual report (item 15, PDF, 16 pages, 8 photos, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17513414&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA23FA182_Devices-Rel.pdf - Cockpit displays - attachment 1 (PFD tabular data) (item 16, CSV, 449 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17513190&FileExtension=csv&FileName=Attachment%201-Rel.csv - Cockpit displays - attachment 2 (MFD tabular data) (item 17, CSV, 23 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17513700&FileExtension=csv&FileName=Attachment2-Rel.csv - RNAV GPS runway 29 approach (item 18, PDF, 1 page, 300 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17832857&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=RNAV%20GPS%20RWY%2029%20Approach-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 19, PDF, 1 page, 713 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17787802&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Signed-%20NTSB%20Release_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Evidence control form (item 20, PDF, 1 page, 657 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17957954&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Evidence%20Control_Redacted-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. 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