ERA25FA158

On March 30, 2025, about 1034 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus SR22, N319TM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Franklin Township, New Jersey. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the accident flight, with an intended destination of Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina. Review of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast data revealed that the flight departed runway 10 at Princeton Airport (39N), Princeton, New Jersey, about 1030. The airplane flew northeast and climbed to an altitude of 1,700 ft mean sea level, before descending in a left circuit to the end of the data. The last target was recorded at 1034:40, indicating an altitude of 475 ft, near the accident site. Review of preliminary FAA air traffic control information revealed that about 1032:45, a controller made radio contact with the airplane when it was approximately 4 miles northeast of 39N. The controller instructed the pilot to “ident,” and the pilot acknowledged the instruction. At 1033:49, the controller instructed the pilot to climb to 3,000 feet and turn right to a heading of 180°; however, the pilot did not reply. At 1034:19, the controller advised the pilot that he was descending and needed to climb, but again received no reply. At 1034:24, the controller contacted the airplane again and asked for a radio check, but no further communications were received from the accident airplane. The airplane descended about 50° nose-down and came to rest in a wooded area, oriented on a magnetic heading of 150°. A debris path was observed, beginning with severed trees, extending 30 ft to the main wreckage on a 150° magnetic course. All four corners of the airplane were identified at the accident site. The empennage was crushed and located on top of the main wreckage. The elevator and rudder remained attached. The elevator trim motor had fractured, and an elevator trim setting could not be determined. The left wing fragmented and was located with the main wreckage. The left flap and the left aileron remained attached. The right wing was fragmented and located about 20 ft from the main wreckage. The right flap remained attached, and the right aileron separated. The cockpit was crushed; however, data were successfully downloaded from the airplane’s remote data module (RDM). The airplane was manufactured in 2024 and powered by a Continental IO-550-N, 310-hp engine, driving a three-bladed Hartzell constant speed propeller. According to RDM data, the airplane had accrued 76.6 total hours of operation since new. The pilot’s physical logbook was destroyed during the accident. He reported a total flight experience of 296 hours on his most recent application for an FAA third-class medical certificate, dated June5, 2023. Additional partial pilot experience information was received from the FAA, operator, and ForeFlight. Review of the information revealed that the pilot obtained his instrument rating on March 22, 2024. A determination could not be made of the pilot’s total actual instrument experience, or his actual instrument experience in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The wreckage was retained for further examination.