# NTSB ERA24LA320: Cirrus Design SR20, N89LF, Port St. Lucie, FL, July 18, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 18, 2024, 07:20 local (11:20 UTC) - Place: Port St. Lucie, FL - Coordinates: 27.244657, -80.492781 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.2447&lon=-80.4928&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Wrong surface or wrong airport](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 194754 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA320 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194754/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194754 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA320 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to correctly identify the airport runway, which resulted in a landing on a road and contact with a power line. Contributing to the outcome was the sun glare. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md) - [Light condition: glare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036030/cases.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 109 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Wrong surface or wrong airport](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284) (defining event); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284/sequence.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 56 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284/sequence.md) - [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR20, 39 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2130000), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was flying to a small, private airpark to pick up a colleague. As he approached the airport, he circled and descended from 2,000 ft to the left downwind leg of the traffic pattern. While on the downwind leg, the pilot spotted what he thought was the (4,061-ft-long by 48-ft-wide) runway and described that he was flying into the glare of the rising sun and morning haze. When the airplane touched down the pilot immediately realized that he would not have enough landing distance to stop and elected to abort the landing. The pilot applied power and began to climb; however, after becoming airborne, he heard a “brushing” sound that he believed was foliage at the end of the pavement. The pilot then diverted to a nearby airport and made an uneventful landing. The pilot was later informed by the owner of the airplane that he had likely landed on a paved roadway near, and oriented parallel to the intended runway. Later, the pilot learned that he had struck a powerline that spanned across the roadway. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the left wing main spar had been substantially damaged ruing the accident sequence. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N89LF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N89LF), registered now, S/N 8569, built 2022 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR20 (G6) - Registry model: [Cirrus Design SR20](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr20) (registry code 2130000) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-390-C3B6](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-390-c3b6) (registry code 42710, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 8569 - Year built: 2022 - Airframe hours: 400 - Engines: Lycoming IO-390-C3B6 215 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: F45, West Palm Beach, FL - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: FL37, Treasure Coast Airpark - Equipment: Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Handheld GPS, Onboard weather, Auto-pilot, Airframe parachute, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Satellite tracking device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 77; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 10, 2022; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 3,500 total, 115 in this make and model, 3,400 as pilot in command, 23 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dawn - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 79 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: SUA, 15 nm away - METAR: METAR KSUA 181051Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 26/26 A3005= ## 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 20240718008159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240718008159A), Jul 18, 2024: Cirrus Design Corp SR20, Fort Pierce, FL, Substantial damage. On 07/18/2024 aircraft was attemting to land on rwy 10 at FL37 when the pilot mistook a road parallel to rwy 10 for the runway. At the last moment the pilot… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 19, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194754. 6.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 6.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17595829&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement confirming roadway (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 302 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17595953&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA24LA320%20ROC%20Airpark%20clarification-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 424 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17595785&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-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.