LAX08CA189

NTSB accident investigation · Cirrus Design SR22 · Laramie, WY · June 24, 2008

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
June 24, 2008, 09:35 local (15:35 UTC)
Place
Laramie, WY
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N877CMCirrus Design SR22
Defining event
Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report July 30, 2008
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20080624840809A
Case key
68273

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

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to attain and maintain an adequate airspeed during a go around, that resulted in a stall/mush. Contributing to the accident was the tailwind condition.

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: airspeedAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedCirrus Design SR22: 24 casesAll aircraft: 1,681 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotCirrus Design SR22: 94 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Wind: tailwindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specifiedCirrus Design SR22: 9 casesAll aircraft: 594 casesProbable cause
Object/animal/substance: runway/taxi/approach lightEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcomeCirrus Design SR22: 2 casesAll aircraft: 106 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 performed a normal landing approach and said he flew over the numbers at his normal airspeed of 77 knots. The airplane floated as the pilot began the flare, and he noticed that the ground speed was very fast. He continued the flare and realized that the airplane was about 10 to 15 feet above the runway when the stall warning horn sounded. The pilot applied full power and right rudder to perform a go-around, but the airplane did not climb as expected and drifted to the left. He also added right aileron control inputs to maintain airplane control, but the airplane continued to descend, and the left wing touched the ground and hit a taxiway light. The airplane veered off the runway and impacted the ground before coming to rest upright. The winds at the time were from 220 degrees at 6 knots.

Factual narrative

In a written statement, the pilot reported that he performed a normal landing approach to runway 12 at Laramie Regional Airport. As the airplane entered the traffic pattern, the pilot indicated he was a little high, but at pattern altitude as he came abeam the runway approach end. Upon turning to final approach, he added the final flaps. He was on the glide path at the normal airspeed and crossed over the runway numbers at 77 knots. The airplane floated as he began the flare, and he noticed that the ground speed was very fast. The pilot continued the flare "as normal" when the stall warning horn sounded. He looked down and saw that the airplane was about 10 to 15 feet above the runway. He applied full power and right rudder to perform a go-around, but the airplane did not climb as expected and drifted to the left. He also added right aileron control inputs to maintain airplane control, but there were no positive results from the manipulation of the aileron. The airplane continued to descend, and the left wing touched the ground and hit a taxiway light. The airplane exited the runway and impacted the ground before coming to rest upright.

Aircraft

Registration
N877CM
Reported as
Cirrus Design SR22
Category
Airplane
Serial number
1430
Airframe hours
344.4
Engine
Continental IO-550-N, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Dewayne Keiper
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · May 1, 2008
Departed
FSD · Sioux Falls, SD
Destination
LAR · Laramie, WY
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
LAR · Laramie Regional Airport, runway 12, 6,300 × 100 ft, asphalt

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
47
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3
Last flight review
July 1, 2007
Flight hours
572 total · 222 in this make and model · 37 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
220° at 6 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
70 °F, dew point 43 °F
Altimeter
30.25 inHg
Observed at
LAR

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.