GAA19CA099

NTSB accident investigation · Cirrus SR20 · Jasper, GA · November 28, 2018

Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
November 28, 2018, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
Place
Jasper, GA
Injuries
2 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N343BZCirrus SR20
Defining event
Approach-VFR go-around: Aerodynamic stall/spin
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 26, 2019
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20181128022969A
Case key
98781

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

On this page

Probable cause

The student pilot's exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during a go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.

Findings · 5

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.

Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilotCirrus Design SR20: 47 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Action: delayed actionPersonnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilotCirrus Design SR20: 15 casesAll aircraft: 894 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: angle of attackAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedCirrus Design SR20: 8 casesAll aircraft: 990 casesProbable cause
Object/animal/substance: airport structureEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcomeCirrus Design SR20: 2 casesAll aircraft: 50 cases
Object/animal/substance: ground vehicleEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcomeCirrus Design SR20: 2 casesAll aircraft: 132 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 flight instructor reported that, during the touch-and-go landings, she observed that the student was struggling to maintain traffic pattern altitude and that the airplane was excessively left of the runway centerline. She told him that he would not be allowed to land until the airplane was on the centerline. During the accident landing, the airplane was left of the runway centerline, and she asked him to correct. He corrected, and she anticipated a full landing. During the landing flare, the airplane drifted left, and she instructed the student to perform a go-around. The student aggressively pitched up the airplane, and she heard the stall warning horn and the stall audio annunciation. She took the flight controls and lowered the nose, but the airplane continued to drift left. The student's statement corroborated the instructor's statement. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located about 9 miles south of the accident airport reported that, about 5 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 290° at 9 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The student landed the airplane on runway 34.

Factual narrative

The student pilot reported that, during a touch and go landing, they were about 5 to 10 ft left of runway centerline. The flight instructor told him to perform a go around and, during the climb, the airplane aerodynamically stalled. The instructor took the flight controls, the airplane drifted left, and impacted cars and "other ground objects." The flight instructor reported that, during the touch and go landings, she observed the student pilot was struggling to maintain traffic pattern altitude and was excessively left of runway centerline. She discussed with him that he would not be allowed to land until on centerline. During the accident landing, the student was left of runway centerline and she asked him to correct. He corrected and she anticipated a full landing. During the landing flare, the airplane drifted left and she instructed him to perform a go around. The student aggressively pitched up and she heard the stall warning horn and the stall audio annunciation. She took the flight controls and lowered the nose, but the airplane continued to drift left. The airplane impacted cars and a hangar. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located about 9 miles south of the accident airport reported that, about 5 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 290° at 9 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The student pilot landed the airplane on runway 34.

Aircraft

Registration
N343BZ
Reported as
Cirrus SR20 (No Series)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
2349
Built
2017
Airframe hours
749
Engine
Lycoming IO-390 SER, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
Aero Atlanta Flight Center
Registered owner
Tibara Llc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · October 18, 2018
Departed
PDK · Atlanta, GA
Destination
JZP · Jasper, GA
Airport
JZP · Pickens County, runway 34, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Auto-pilot, Airframe parachute, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Data recorder

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 · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Flight instructor
Age
58
Injuries
Minor
Certificates
Private, Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
May 12, 2017
Seat
Right
Restraint
4-point
Flight hours
2,285 total · 428 in this make and model · 2,150 as pilot in command · 77 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Role
Student pilot
Age
33
Injuries
Minor
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Flight hours
50 total · 50 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
290° at 9 knots, gusting 15
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
36 °F, dew point 10 °F
Altimeter
30.12 inHg
Observed at
K47A, 9 nm away

Docket · 4

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 12, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 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.