GAA19CA570

NTSB accident investigation · Cirrus SR22 · Lexington, NE · September 25, 2019

Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
September 25, 2019, 17:20 local (22:20 UTC)
Place
Lexington, NE
Injuries
1 serious, 1 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N1216NCirrus SR22
Defining event
Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 17, 2020
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20190925014449A
Case key
100334

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 pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during a go around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and a hard landing.

Findings · 4

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: angle of attackAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceededCirrus Design SR22: 14 casesAll aircraft: 990 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotCirrus Design SR22: 94 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Wind: crosswindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationCirrus Design SR22: 9 casesAll aircraft: 1,008 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 pilot reported that, during approach to land will full flaps, he decided to perform a go around and applied full power. The airplane started turning left and he applied right rudder. The airplane was "low and slow" and was unable to gain altitude. The airplane continued to drift left then subsequently, landed hard in an adjacent field left of the runway. The pilot further reported that, during the go around, he did not adjust the flap setting to the takeoff setting. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that he did not remember if the stall warning horn was going off, but believed that the airplane aerodynamically stalled before impact. The pilot reported that the wind was from 040° at 20 knots, gusting to 30 knots. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 5 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 050° at 12 knots, 10 statute mile visibility, sky clear, temperature 23°C (73°F), dew point 7°C (45°F), altimeter 29.98" Hg. The airport field elevation was 2412 ft. The pilot was departing on runway 32. The pilot operating handbook checklist titled "Balked Landing/Go-Around" stated in part: 1. Autopilot – DISENGAGE 2. Power Lever – FULL FORWARD 3. Flaps – 50% 4. Airspeed – 75-80 KIAS After clear of obstacles: 1. Flaps – UP The manufacturer published a performance chart titled "Balked Landing Rate of Climb." The calculated rate of climb with full flaps during the balked landing was about 1,168 ft per minute.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that, during approach to land will full flaps, he decided to perform a go around and applied full power. The airplane started turning left and he applied right rudder. The airplane was "low and slow" and was unable to gain altitude. The airplane continued to drift left then subsequently, landed hard in an adjacent field left of the runway. The pilot further reported that, during the go around, he did not adjust the flap setting to the takeoff setting. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that he did not remember if the stall warning horn was going off, but believed that the airplane aerodynamically stalled before impact. The pilot reported that the wind was from 040° at 20 knots, gusting to 30 knots. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 5 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 050° at 12 knots, 10 statute mile visibility, sky clear, temperature 23°C (73°F), dew point 7°C (45°F), altimeter 29.98" Hg. The airport field elevation was 2412 ft. The pilot was departing on runway 32. The pilot operating handbook checklist titled "Balked Landing/Go-Around" stated in part: 1. Autopilot – DISENGAGE 2. Power Lever – FULL FORWARD 3. Flaps – 50% 4. Airspeed – 75-80 KIAS After clear of obstacles: 1. Flaps – UP The manufacturer published a performance chart titled "Balked Landing Rate of Climb." The calculated rate of climb with full flaps during the balked landing was about 1,168 ft per minute.

Aircraft

Registration
N1216N
Reported as
Cirrus SR22 (Undesignat)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
0549
Built
2003
Airframe hours
3,130.9
Engine
Lycoming IO-550-N, 340 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · September 16, 2018
Departed
LXN · Lexington, NE
Airport
LXN · Jim Kelly Field, runway 32, 5,489 × 100 ft, concrete
Equipment
Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, ADS-B, Airframe parachute

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
65
Injuries
Serious
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
BasicMed
Last flight review
January 16, 2019
Seat
Front
Restraint
4-point
Flight hours
814 total · 73 in this make and model · 20 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
50° at 12 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
73 °F, dew point 45 °F
Altimeter
29.97 inHg
Observed at
KLXN

Docket · 5

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 26, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.9 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.