WPR24FA313

The pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight with a pilot-rated passenger when he performed a go-around at the direction of the tower air traffic controller due to an airplane on the runway ahead. He reentered the traffic pattern on the right downwind leg and, after the flight was established on the downwind leg, the controller cleared him to land. About a minute later, the pilot of another airplane on final approach to the same runway observed the accident airplane descend rapidly and rotate three times before the airplane’s parachute deployed and the airplane impacted the water. Airport surveillance video showed an airplane approaching the runway and performing a touch-and-go landing. The accident airplane then came into view; about 50 ft above ground level, it climbed and maneuvered to the right before passing out of the camera’s view. The airplanes appeared to be about 200 ft apart. ADS-B data showed that the accident airplane reentered the right downwind leg. A few moments later, as the airplane approached the turn to the base leg, its ground speed decreased, and the airplane turned right while descending. The recorded flight data ended over Utah Lake near the accident location. The airport surveillance video then partially showed the airplane in a steep, nose-down attitude before its parachute began to deploy. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the available information, the accident sequence was consistent with the pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering in the airport traffic pattern for landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, loss of control, spin, and impact with the water.

The airplane was refueled in St. George, Utah, on the morning of the accident with 50.9 gallons of 100-octane low-lead aviation gasoline. The recovered flap actuator measured about 50% of the flap setting. According to the Cirrus SR22 pilot’s operating handbook (POH), the stall speed with 50% flaps ranged from 71 to 72 kts indicated airspeed (KIAS), depending on the airplane’s center of gravity, at 30° bank; the stall speed in level flight ranged from 66 to 67 KIAS. Maintenance records showed that the most recent inspection was conducted on February 2, 2024, and identified incorrect paint that did not meet the requirements of the Cirrus SR22 Maintenance Manual. The discrepancy was corrected on April 25, 2024, and the airplane was determined to be airworthy. On September 27, 2024, about 1010 mountain daylight time, a Cirrus SR22 airplane, N831AZ, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Provo, Utah. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot had entered the right downwind leg of the traffic pattern at Provo Municipal Airport (PVU), Provo, Utah, and was cleared by the tower controller to land on runway 13 after he acknowledged seeing another airplane on final approach ahead of him. After crossing the runway threshold, the pilot performed a go-around after the controller instructed him to go around because of an airplane on the runway, and he reentered the right downwind leg. Near the turn to the base leg for runway 13, the airplane descended in a nose-down attitude and impacted the water. Air Traffic Control (ATC) communications showed that as the accident airplane was initially approaching the airport, the tower controller instructed the pilot, if he was able, to extend the downwind leg of the traffic pattern to enter a 4-mile right base for another airplane that was on a 2-mile final approach. The pilot confirmed that he was able to extend the downwind leg. Fourteen seconds later, the controller asked the pilot if he had the other airplane in sight. The pilot replied, “Report what in sight?” The controller clarified, “The Sport Cruiser on a 2-mile final in sight.” The pilot replied that he did not see the airplane but was looking. Soon after, the pilot said he had the airplane in sight, and the controller advised that he could turn to the base leg of the pattern at his discretion and cleared him to land. Two minutes later, the controller instructed the pilot to go around because there was an airplane on the runway. The controller then asked the pilot if he was able to turn right back to the downwind leg, and the pilot replied that he could. The pilot reported that he was going around due to the airplane on the runway and became established on the right downwind leg. The controller asked the pilot to report downwind for runway 13. The controller subsequently cleared the accident airplane to land on runway 13, and thepilot acknowledged the clearance. The controller advised the pilot of another airplane on final for runway 13 that he was number two to land, behind the accident airplane, which was on a 1-mile right base; the controller cleared the other airplane for a low approach and a left turn northbound. That pilot advised that he had the Cirrus in sight and, a few seconds later, reported to controller that the Cirrus had crashed into Utah Lake. The airport was equipped with a tracking system, which showed the accident airplane enter the downwind leg after the go-around at a ground speed of 120 kts. While approaching the turn to the base leg, the ground speed decreased to 90 kts and then to 80 kts during the turn. The last tracking data showed a ground speed of 67 kts near the accident site. An airport surveillance video showed the first airplane approach the runway and perform a touch-and-go landing. The accident airplane appeared in view on final approach to the runway about 50 ft above ground level; it climbed and maneuvered to the right before passing out of view. The airplanes appeared to be around 200 ft apart. (See figure.) The surveillance video also captured the partial deployment of the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) before the airplane’s impact with the water. Figure. Screen capture from the airport surveillance video showing the accident airplane and the Sport Cruiser during the accident airplane’s go-around. ADS-B data showed the accident airplane approaching runway 13 and entering the right downwind leg of the traffic pattern. After the go-around, the airplane reentered the right downwind leg at a ground speed of about 110 kts. A few moments later, as the airplane was approaching its turn to the base leg, its ground speed decreased to about 80 kts and the airplane entered a right turn before the flight data ended over Utah Lake near the accident site. A witness who was flying in another airplane saw the accident airplane bank sharply, then stall and enter a rapid descent and rotate three times. He also saw the airplane’s parachute begin to deploy before the airplane impacted the water. The pilot’s logbooks were not available for examination. The initial impact point was about 2 miles northwest of the approach end of runway 13. Floating debris was recovered near the main wreckage location. The main wreckage was found about 8 to 9 ft below the surface of the lake in deep mud. The fuselage, wing spar, empennage, and engine remained partially attached through control cables, wires, and lines. The airplane sustained extensive impact damage. The wreckage was relocated to a secure facility for further examination. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. An instrument capable of recording engine data was sent to the NTSB recorders laboratory; however, the SD card required for data recording was not installed, and nononvolatile memory was recovered.