The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Salt Lake City, Utah
Cirrus Aircraft; Duluth, Minnesota
Continental Motors; Mobile, Alabama
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Salt Lake City, Utah
Cirrus Aircraft; Duluth, Minnesota
Continental Motors; Mobile, Alabama
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:
Location: Grover, Utah
Accident Number: WPR19FA154
Date & Time: May 24, 2019, 11:16 Local
Registration: N809SR
Aircraft: Cirrus SR22
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Structural icing
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Analysis
The pilot departed on an instrument flight rules cross-country flight and climbed to a cruise altitude of 14,000 ft mean sea level (msl). About 30 minutes into the flight, he requested a climb to 16,000 ft msl. Radar data indicated that over the next several minutes, the airplane climbed to 14,500 ft, then began an increasingly rapid descent as its groundspeed decayed from about 111 knots (kts) to about 64 kts before radar contact was lost. Witnesses reported that they heard the airplane and looked up to see it descending nose down like a corkscrew before it impacted terrain. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
AIRMET Zulu for moderate icing conditions was valid for the area of the accident site at the time of the accident, and an atmospheric sounding supported the likely formation of moderate rime and mixed-type icing in the area. The sounding also indicated the potential for supercooled large droplet icing formation near the top of the cloud layer near 15,000 ft msl. Satellite imagery depicted cumulus and cumulus congestus type clouds with vertical development over the flight track and accident site, and weather radar imagery depicted the airplane entering an area of light-to-moderate intensity echoes just before radar contact was lost. Immediately before and after the accident, two other aircraft operating at similar altitudes reported encountering light clear to mixed icing conditions. The pilot had received preflight weather information containing the relevant forecasts and advisories. In addition, the airplane was equipped with a TKS ice protection system, but it was heavily fragmented during the accident sequence and the investigation was unable to determine if the system was activated or working at the time of the accident.
It is likely that, during the last minutes of the flight, the airplane encountered moderate-to-severe icing conditions, which adversely affected the airplane's handling characteristics and likely resulted in a loss of control.
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's encounter with moderate to severe icing conditions during cruise flight, which resulted in structural icing and a subsequent loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to continue a flight route through known moderate to severe icing conditions.
Findings
Environmental issues Conducive to structural icing - Effect on operation
Personnel issues Aircraft control - Pilot
Personnel issues Decision making/judgment - Pilot
Environmental issues Conducive to structural icing - Decision related to condition
Factual Information
History of Flight
Enroute Structural icing (Defining event)
Enroute-change of cruise level Loss of control in flight
Enroute-change of cruise level Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
On May 24, 2019, about 1116 mountain daylight time, a Cirrus SR22 airplane, N809SR, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Grover, Utah. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The airplane departed Canyonlands Field Airport (CNY), Moab, Utah, about 1042. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot contacted air traffic control, opened his instrument flight rules flight plan to Henderson Executive Airport (HND), Las Vegas, Nevada, and was assigned a cruise altitude of 14,000 ft mean sea level. About 1111, the pilot requested to climb to 16,000 ft msl; this was the last communication from the pilot. The airplane climbed from 13,900 ft to 14,500 ft at an average rate of 300 ft per minute and an average groundspeed of 111 knots. Shortly thereafter, the airplane's average groundspeed was 95 knots. The airplane then descended from 14,500 ft to 14,000 ft at an average rate of 833 ft per minute and an average groundspeed of 81 knots. The descent then increased to 2,000 ft per minute at an average groundspeed of 64 knots. Radar contact was lost at 1116.
Witnesses reported to law enforcement that they heard the airplane, then looked up and saw it nose down, descending like a corkscrew. The airplane descended behind a hillside and shortly thereafter, they heard an explosion and saw smoke.
Data recovered from the airplane's Avidyne multifunction display revealed that the engine was producing power until the time of the accident and that cylinder head and exhaust gas temperatures, fuel flow, oil temperature, and oil pressure values were consistent throughout the flight.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 66, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land
Seat Occupied: Unknown
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 3 With waivers/limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: August 15, 2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 930 hours (Total, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Cirrus
Registration: N809SR
Model/Series: SR22 Undesignated
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2006
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 2129
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: April 16, 2019 100 hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection: 36 Hrs
Engines: Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 2672 Hrs as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Continental Motors
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: IO-550-N
Registered Owner:
Rated Power: 310 Horsepower
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: HVE,4463 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 30 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 10:55 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 62°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility: 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 6 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 170°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.04 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 15°C / 2°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Moab, UT (CNY)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Destination: Las Vegas, NV (HND)
Type of Clearance: IFR
Departure Time: 10:42 Local
Type of Airspace: Unknown
The National Weather Service issued AIRMET Zulu, valid for the area of the accident site about the time of the accident, for moderate icing conditions between around 7,000 ft to 9,000 ft up to 21,000 ft msl. The High Resolution Rapid Refresh numerical model sounding over the accident site depicted a freezing level of 9,755 ft msl and a supported layer of clouds with bases at 10,860 ft msl with tops near 15,000 ft msl; this cloud layer had a greater than 90% probability of producing moderate rime-to-mixedtype icing. The sounding also indicated a mean vertical motion varying from 8 to 14 meters per second, which would enhance the growth of supercooled large droplet formation near the top of the cloud layer. The sounding wind profile supported a high probability of moderate turbulence due to strong vertical wind shear within the cloud environment.
The GOES-17 visible imagery depicted cumulus to cumulus congestus clouds with vertical development over the flight track and accident site, which would also support the formation of larger supercooled water droplets, and vertical motion in the clouds, which would enhance the icing potential. Weather radar imagery depicted several small areas of light-to-moderate intensity echoes of 25 to 35 basic reflectivity values (dBZ) scattered over the area, with most of the echoes within 25 miles of the radar site in the range of 10 to 15 dBZ, or very light intensity. When overlaid with the airplane's flight track, imagery indicated that just before radar contact was lost, the airplane passed through one of these small cells with a maximum intensity of 25.5 dBZ.
Immediately before and after the accident, two other aircraft operating at similar altitudes reported encountering light clear-to-mixed icing conditions.
The pilot filed an instrument flight rules flight plan through ForeFlight before departure and received a corresponding route briefing, which included a description of the conditions and provided the advisory regarding potential icing conditions along the route of flight.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: On-ground
Ground Injuries:
Aircraft Explosion: Unknown
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 38.174446,-111.24861
The airplane impacted remote mountainous terrain. The debris field was about 330 ft long and was oriented on a magnetic heading of 217°. The airplane was heavily fragmented and scattered perpendicular to a cliffside.
Flight control continuity was established throughout the airframe. The elevator and rudder controls were continuous. The aileron control cable was fracture separated at the control panel and the aileron actuation pulley. Both fractures were consistent with overload. The airplane’s TKS icing protection system, which was not certified for flight into known icing, was found fragmented and scattered throughout the debris field.
The engine was separated from the airframe and came to rest about 211 ft from the initial impact crater. Several components were fracture separated from the engine and scattered throughout the debris field. The crankcase exhibited impact-related damage; there were no signs of catastrophic engine failure. The crankshaft was bent just aft of the propeller flange. The crankshaft gear displayed normal operating signatures. All six cylinders remained attached to the cylinder bays; the right-side cylinders exhibited more damage than the left side cylinders. Borescope examination of the cylinder bores, piston faces, and valve heads displayed normal operating signatures. The fuel pump was removed from the engine and the driveshaft was rotated; residual fuel pumped through the line. The upper and lower spark plugs exhibited normal operating signatures. The oil filter was removed from the engine and cut open; no metallic material was noted. The propeller assembly remained attached to the engine and the three blade shanks remained attached to the hub.
Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Office of the Medical Examiner from the Utah Department of Health, Taylorsville, Utah performed an autopsy of the pilot and determined the cause of death to be "multiple injuries".
The FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory performed forensic toxicology on specimens from the pilot with positive results for cetirizine which is not considered a hazard to flight safety.
============
Accident Number: WPR19FA154
Date & Time: 05/24/2019, 1122 MDT
Registration: N809SR
Aircraft: Cirrus SR22
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
On May 24, 2019, about 1122 mountain daylight time, a Cirrus SR22 airplane, N809SR, impacted terrain about 6 miles southeast of Grover, Utah. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to Tierra Grande Aviation LLC, and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the vicinity of the accident site, and the flight was operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The flight departed Canyonlands Field Airport (CNY), Moab UT about 1042 and was destined for Henderson Executive Airport (HND), Las Vegas, Nevada.
Witnesses reported that they heard the airplane and when they looked up, they observed it nose down descending like a corkscrew. The airplane descended behind a hillside; shortly thereafter they heard an explosion and saw smoke rise from the area.
At 1055 the Hanksville Airport (HVE), Hanksville, Utah, located about 30 miles northeast of the accident site reported wind from 170o at 6 knots, clear skies, 10 statue miles visibility, temperature 15o C, dewpoint 2o C and an altimeter setting of 30.05 inches of mercury. A high Resolution Rapid Refresh numerical model over the accident site depicted a freezing level at 9,755 ft, and supported broken to overcast clouds with bases near 3,300 ft agl and tops to 15,000 ft.
The airplane was removed to a secure location for further examination.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Cirrus
Registration: N809SR
Model/Series: SR22 Undesignated
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: HVE, 4463 ft msl
Observation Time: 1055 PDT
Distance from Accident Site: 30 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 15°C / 2°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 6 knots / , 170°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.05 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Departure Point: Moab, UT (CNY)
Destination: Las Vegas, NV (HND)
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: On-Ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: On-Ground
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 38.174444, -111.248611
Lynn Ann Anderson Simonsen and her husband Christian Clinton Simonsen.
Christian Clinton Simonsen
February 4, 1953 - May 24, 2019
Born in Gilroy, California
Resided in Morgan Hill, California
Christian Clinton Simonsen, born February 4, 1953 in Gilroy, CA, passed away in a plane crash in Grover, UT on Friday, May 24, 2019, along with his wife, Lynn Ann Anderson-Simonsen. Chris and Lynn were on their way home to Morgan Hill, CA after visiting several National Parks in Utah and visiting with Christian Jr., Jen, and Leandra in Salt Lake City.
Chris was preceded in death by his brother, Wade Simonsen, brother-in-law David Perez, mother Elizabeth (Rhodes) Simonsen, father Harry C. Simonsen, and by his adoptive mother Bonnie L. Simonsen. Chris is survived by his 2 sons, Christian Jr. (Jennifer) of Salt Lake City, UT and Dan (Tiffany) of Frisco, TX; step-daughters Karri Becker of Fargo, ND, Jodi Satterlee of Reno, NV, Hannah Anderson of Morgan Hill, CA, Cailey Anderson of Arcatia, CA; granddaughters Presley, Skylar, and Leandra; brothers Eric Simonsen and Sean Simonsen (Michele); sisters Laurie Perez and Jean Alkire (Randy Beaver). He is also survived by his many nieces and nephews: Anthony and Steven Perez (Laurie), Nathaniel and Julia Lierly (Jeanne), Keith Simonsen and Kelly Benshoof (Wade), Sean and Valerie Simonsen (Sean), and Melody and Laura Simonsen (Eric). He leaves behind Uncle Ed and Sandy Johnson, Ruth Johnson, step-brother Ed Thorp, and cousins Christopher Linthurst, Jennifer Linthurst, Christie Gamble, Judy Guardino, Paul Corbin, and Patty Lua.
Chris leaves behind many beloved colleagues from his work and his Saturdays on the golf course with his golf buddies. He was married to Karen Simonsen of Frisco, TX, the mother of his children, and to Lynn Anderson of Morgan Hill, whom he had married March 13, 2018. He was born in Gilroy, CA but spent his adolescence growing up in Stillwater, MN, where, with his brothers Eric and Wade, he found his passion for fishing and science. After graduating from high school at Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, MA, Chris went to Stanford and then the University of Utah, where he earned a PhD in Molecular Biology. After graduation, Chris began his career with Genentech and worked with many of the Bay Area’s leading scientists over the years. He also worked for Invitron, Aragen, Sierra BioSource, Serologicals Corp, and most recently, Alector. Over the past 3 years, Chris lived with Lynn and Hannah and Cailey in Morgan Hill. A fisherman who loved his summer trips to Alaska with the boys and the occasional Simonsen female family member. Chris enjoyed spending the Christmas holidays with Lynn and her daughters in Hawaii, and liked that it was becoming a tradition. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and colleagues.
A Memorial Service will be held Friday, June 7, 2019 at 11:00A.M at LIMA-CAMPAGNA-JOHNSON FUNERAL HOME, 17720 Monterey Street, Morgan Hill, followed by a reception and celebration of Chris’ life to be held at Mama Mia’s Gilroy. Donations to Moreland Little League may be made in lieu of flowers.
http://www.limacampagnamortuaries.com
Lynn Ann (Heldt) Anderson Simonsen
July 13, 1969 - May 24, 2019
Resident of Morgan Hill
On Friday, May 24, Lynn Ann Anderson Simonsen and her husband Christian Clinton Simonsen were involved in a tragic accident when the small plane Chris was piloting went down in Wayne County Utah. Lynn and Chris had only been married a little over a year but their love for each other was evident to all who knew them. In the last year they had visited Alaska, Europe, Las Vegas, Disneyland and Hawaii. They loved snorkeling, cooking and going on long bikes rides together in Morgan Hill where they lived.
Lynn was born in Long Island, NY and moved to San Jose, CA in 1974. She received her Masters degree in Molecular Biology from San Jose State University. Jane Goodall was Lynn's childhood idol. It was because of Jane's work that Lynn became interested in biology.
Lynn loved her job as a scientist and had worked side by side with Chris for over 15 years, most recently at Alector. Although her love for Chris was strong, her heart and soul were her daughters Cailey Marie Anderson and Hannah Angela Anderson. She was very proud of her girls and raised them with an abundance of love and time. She was loved by all their friends and always welcomed them with a smile. She was an awesome mom, a wonderful daughter, a cherished sister and a best friend to many.
Lynn is survived by her parents Robert and Margie Heldt, siblings and their spouses Karen and Barry Braverman, Bob Heldt, Jr. and Karen Kramer and Michael and Allison Heldt, as well as nieces Samantha, Chelsea, and nephews Ben, Matthew, Alex and Eric. She is also survived by her ex husband John Anderson, many aunts, uncles, friends and neighbors.
A Memorial for Lynn and Chris Simonsen will be held Saturday June 15th at 11:00am at the Lima-Campagna-Johnson funeral home in Morgan Hill. In lieu of flowers, if you wish to make a donation, please consider the Jane Goodall Institute: https://www.janegoodall.org/donate/
WAYNE COUNTY, Utah, May 30, 2019 (Gepharpt Daily) — Officials have identified a husband and wife who died in plane crash that occurred late Friday morning in the Grover area of Wayne County.
The pilot of the Cirrus SR22 GTS was identified as Christian C. Simonsen, and the passenger was identified as his wife, Lynn Ann Anderson-Simonsen of Morgan Hill, California, said a news release from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.
A previous news release said Wayne County Sheriff’s officials were dispatched to Miner’s Mountain Road in the Grover area on a report of a single-engine plane crash at about 11:22 a.m.
The sheriff’s office requested Wayne County EMS to respond and had WCSO Search and Rescue on standby, according to the news release issued by WCSO Friday afternoon.
Witnesses reported that they heard an explosion and saw smoke after the plane disappeared from their view.
Upon arrival at the crash site, WCSO saw a “large debris field and fire were present throughout the area,” the news release states.
Two occupants of the aircraft were found deceased at the site, the sheriff’s office said; they were the only people aboard.
The Medical Examiner’s Office went to the scene and conducted an investigation.
The remains of the deceased were transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for further investigation.
The cause of the crash is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board as well as an investigator from the aircraft manufacturer.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://gephardtdaily.com
WAYNE COUNTY, Utah, May 24, 2019 (Gepharpt Daily) — The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a fatal plane crash that occurred late Friday morning in the Grover area of Wayne County.
At about 11:22 a.m., the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to Miner’s Mountain Road in the Grover area on a report of a single-engine plane crash.
The sheriff’s office requested Wayne County EMS to respond and had WCSO Search and Rescue on standby, according to a news release issued by WCSO at 5:34 p.m. Friday.
Witnesses reported that they heard an explosion and saw smoke after the plane disappeared from their view.
Upon arrival at the crash site, WCSO saw a “large debris field and fire were present throughout the area,” the news release states.
Two occupants of the aircraft were found deceased at the site, the sheriff’s office said. It appeared that they were the only people aboard.
The Medical Examiner’s Office went to the scene and conducted an investigation.
The remains of the deceased were transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for further investigation.
The cause of the crash is as yet unknown and is under investigation by the NTSB.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://gephardtdaily.com
GROVER, Wayne County — Two people died when the plane they were in crashed in a rural area Friday morning, officials said.
Emergency crews received a report from someone who said they saw a single-engine plane crash near Miner's Mountain Road in Grover shortly after 11:20 a.m., according to Wayne County spokeswoman Kassidee Brown.
Wayne County Sheriff's deputies came across large debris field and fire near the area reported. They found what appeared to be two occupants in the plane and both were dead, Brown added.
Their names and ages weren't immediately released.
In a statement, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said the plane was a Cirrus SR22 and it crashed under "unknown circumstances."
The FAA is handling the investigation into the crash. An official from the Utah State Medical Examiner's Office was also dispatched to the scene, Brown said.
Friday's crash is the second fatal Utah aviation crash in the past 7 days. Last Friday, a Utah couple was killed when the helicopter they were in crashed into mountainous terrain in Utah County. The cause of that crash is also under investigation.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.ksl.com
GROVER, Utah — A small plane crashed Friday in southern Utah, killing both people on board.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a crash of a Cirrus SR22 aircraft in Grover, the board announced on its official Twitter page shortly after 5 p.m.
The crash happened around 11 a.m. near Miner’s Mountain Road, according to a press release from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office. First responders found a debris and field fire at the site and two people deceased.
Witnesses saw the aircraft disappear from their view, heard an explosion and saw smoke, then called 911 to report it.
Grover is located between Capitol Reef National Park and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://fox13now.com
Wayne County Sheriff's Office
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
On Friday May, 24th 2019, at approximately 11:22am Wayne County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to Miner’s Mountain Road in the Grover area. The reporting party called 911 to report they had witnessed a plane crash.
Wayne County Sheriff’s Office requested Wayne County EMS and Wayne County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue are on standby.
Wayne County Sheriff’s Office received further information that it was a single engine aircraft.
Witnesses stated the aircraft disappeared from their view; they heard an explosion and saw smoke.
Upon Wayne County Sheriff’s Office arrival at the crash site, a large debris field and fire were present throughout the area.
There appeared to be two occupants in the aircraft, both were found deceased.
The investigator for the medical examiner’s office responded to the scene and conducted his investigation.
The remains of the occupants will be transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for further investigation.
The National Transportation Safety Board will be conducting an investigation into the cause of the crash.
Yet another Cirrus crash....
ReplyDeleteN809SR, bad weather that day, possible thunderstorm penetration?
ReplyDeleteLooks like you're right...
ReplyDeletehttps://flightaware.com/live/flight/N809SR/history/20190524/1630Z/KCNY/KHND/tracklog
Looks like it all of a sudden went from 13.8 to 14.4kft... last adsb reported an airspeed of 87 knots at 14.4!
damn. For all of the reporting, it says it was a large debris field, but none of the witnesses said anything about the plane's orientation to the crash site etc, just that it disappeared from view. You would think if the plane was in a nose down configuration, that witnesses would have reported this, especially if it was in a power-on dive. Photos aren't much help either. It seems as if it definitely stalled out with such a low speed, but there would've been a lot of time to recover from such an event in vfr.
Jeez. this is sounds eerily similar to the Blind over Bakersfield video created by AOPA. https://youtu.be/ROCUheRin9U trying to outrun thunderstorm heights. Also reported here on Kathryns.
notapilot.
Lastly, what bugs me the most is the size of the debris field from the only 3 photos released by the sheriff's dept. It looks HUGE (tho the photos could be deceiving).
ReplyDeleteHow does a debris field get this big, and everything is totally obliterated, from an aircraft as small as an SR-22? This one is really baffling!
notapilot
All that glass in the cockpit for situational awareness, an autopilot to ease workload and a parachute to save you in the event that you screw up big time and yet we keep seeing a pattern of Cirrus fatalities. I don't blame the aircraft. Professional pilots fly high performance machines that don't forgive sloppy airmanship every day.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like a certain percentage of Cirrus pilots are convinced the machine can do anything even if their pilot skills (and decision making) aren't up to the task.
It seems like the one thing money can't buy.
Yeah, like Airbus, Tesla...
ReplyDelete737 Max...
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I witnessed the crash on Miner's Mountain on Friday, May 24, 2019 at approx. 11:02 am. We were barely able to complete the 911 call because of the remote location/lack of reception. We reported an airplane crash with the legal location.
We heard the plane above us and I said "where is that plane?" my husband looked over and saw it spiral down vertically to the ground from the clouds. Engine was loud and running. It exploded on impact with a plume of smoke rising. Very sad and unnerving.
I am Lynn’s mother and would like to thank you both for reporting what you saw. I fear it might have been a long time before the wreckage was discovered if it hadn’t been for you.
DeleteSounds like a Flat Spin to me.
ReplyDeleteFlat spin / round spin ... Same results.
ReplyDeleteRIP
witness didn't mention a parachute?
ReplyDeletePilot panicked after being bumped around in T-storm? Why not pull the chute?
ReplyDeleteI am the mother of the woman who was killed in the crash. Her husband was the pilot. We are completely baffled by the accident. We know the pilot, my SIL was a very skilled pilot. He told us the plane did have a parachute. We ate puzzled by why it wasn’t used. Also why they didn’t put out a call for help.
ReplyDeleteThey had just left SLC after a week visiting family and national parks along the way from San Jose, CA.
We are waiting for a report but have been told it could take a year.
We are broken hearted. My daughter leaves behind a 16 and a 21 year old daughter.
Unfortunately everyone says their loved one was a skilled pilot, this is usually far from the truth. A skilled pilot is usually high time and has done this for a living. The culture today among general aviation recreational pilots depend on modern glass screens and heavily on a autopilot.
ReplyDeleteMa'am all are very sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much! I appreciate it, it is still unbelievable to me even though I spent the day with Lynn’s sister and brother writing her obituary.
ReplyDeleteSad story, my heart goes out to those affected by this accident. Sounds like another case of LOC in IMC. I wonder why he didn't pull the chute unless he did and it separated from the airframe due to high speed. With what's left of the aircraft it may be hard to determine that. RIP.
ReplyDeleteTo Picturelady; I am so very sorry for your loss. I have an idea of what you are going through as I lost my father in an airplane crash when I was 17 years old. Please allow the NTSB the time (perhaps as much as 2 years) to determine the cause of the accident and avoid all of the speculation that will go on in this blog. Most of us here are pilots and it is common for us to discuss and speculate in the interest of our own longevity as we seek to prevent similar things happening to us. Please know that there is NO disrespect intended. We also welcome your questions and concerns. Again, you have our deepest sympathy.
ReplyDeleteStick and rudder skills, and spin recovery. That's the only thing that will ever save a plane in an emergency. Reliance on auto-throttles, stick shaker/pusher, airframe parachute systems, autopilots, glass panels, and all the other computer stuff is nonsense. Teach pilots how to turn off the computer and FLY WITHOUT IT.
ReplyDeleteThe United States of America is the only country with a vibrant general aviation community where almost anyone can still learn and actually fly small planes. Better training will avert some of the tragic general aviation accidents. A required continual training of pilots to fly with good old fashioned stick and rudder skills.
The bottom line? Passenger (Lynn Ann Anderson Simonsen) safety comes down to the pilot.
Stick and rudder skills, and spin recovery. That's it.
ReplyDeleteLoss of control in instrument conditions is a hellof a thing. People get tossed about inside the plane, the engine is screaming, the passengers are screaming and the pilot is fighting for control. The pilot probably didn't think of pulling the parachute or centrifugal forces wouldn't allow his hand to reach the handle, we will probably never know.
A few of the commenters seem to think a Cirrus is some kind of cavernous vehicle where people just float and fly around the cabin? Has anyone here actually been in a small airplane? It's not like an airliner, you can't unbuckle, walk around and get lost! Then there's the stick and rudder Chuck Yeager fantasy of people who wind up becoming statistics themselves. Know how Scott Crossfield died? He was a stick and rudder guy, one of the best, but a thunderstorm ate him. Jeesh, read the accident reports! There has never been a fatal Cirrus accident when the pilot pulled the parachute handle at altitude. There's a good statistic.
ReplyDeleteremember when the piper malibu first came out and all the wealthy pilots were out killing themselves and family/friends who were along for the ride? they tried for a long time to figure out what was wrong with these fine machines piper had built to take advantage of these doctors lawyers and well off businessmen. well it turns out that the problem was exactly the same as these cirrus's. from the time they first came out i noticed the only pilots i was observing in these planes were new very low time and even student pilots. they convinced these guys they would be qualified to operate them in any conditions and even if you get overwhelmed you have the parachute! the other reason only new pilots paid all that money for them is any pilot who has been around general aviation very long knows what kind of far superior more capable aircraft you can get with that kind of money and would never buy one! so the cirrus marketing dept had that all figured out from the beginning and targeted these beginner pilots. take a look at that crash photo and see if you can locate the fancy glass panel OR the parachute. pretty hard to find right? yeah neither one seemed to help them one bit. add to that the JFK syndrome and you have a disaster cocktail recipe for sure. i am normally totally against all the lawsuits against aircraft manufacturers who had absolutely nothing to do with any crashed airplane but i think cirrus may have some responsibility here with the way they prey on new pilots with their fancy glass panel airplanes.
ReplyDeleteExactly!
ReplyDeleteI believe this was a flying club aircraft out of KPAO. This is not an aircraft type you fly every couple of months or so. Very sad.
ReplyDeleteChristian owned it. Probably had it on lease back.
ReplyDeleteN809SR was maintained out of WVFC at KPAO. I knew Chris and loved him dearly.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI was not suggesting people were floating or flying around in the cabin, a SR22 isn't even a cabin class airplane. That is >silly< of you to suggest it. I merely suggested they were being bounced/tossed around in their seat up/down/left/right. I've seen lap belts literally pulled from their anchor points in severe turbulence.
It appears to be a loss of control in IMC. It's possible he was using the autopilot and it let go due to turbulence leaving the unprepared pilot with a untrimmed airplane.
So now we have a commenter suggesting that it is the fault of the manufacturer, Cirrus, for building a popular, safe, and efficient product that thousands of people do, and many more want to own? It is the manufacturer's fault that the one safety mechanism which would have prevented this accident wasn't used? There is something called personal responsibility, and over the many years I've been lucky to have on this planet, I have become accustomed to seeing some folks try to blame others rather than accept responsibility. Who knows why the chute wasn't chosen but blaming the manufacturer for the character and ability of the operator is poor character in itself.
ReplyDeleteFor those here that are related to, or the close friends of both victims, my sincere condolences. I’m an aviator, both military and civilian of many years, I can tell you that few aviation tragedies rarely make sense nor do they offer answers.
ReplyDeleteNo matter what aircraft you fly, no matter your credentials or experience .. encounters with severe weather can and do exceed the aircraft design and pilot abilities.
No matter the eventual facts, your loss is felt.
Thank you very much !
DeleteA flying school owner once told me ... "You know, these small airplanes, even though certificated to, do not belong in weather. Period."
ReplyDeleteThis accident, like many others on this site, is tragic. My heart goes out to all those connected to this couple. I personally read this blog in the hopes that it will make me a better pilot, and perhaps it will help me avoid becoming an entry in this report. I am 62 and have only been flying 4 years now, accumulating 500 hours. I have my instrument rating and keep it current, but do not consider myself proficient for hard IFR. As I read this report and the comments, I wonder how one might have broken this accident chain. From the climb performance, it appears that the plane may have been normally aspirated (climb performance at 14k feet appears poor on the flightaware site). I wonder if the pilot was on top of the clouds at 13,800, but the clouds were rising ahead. He obviously felt that he could handle the situation. Clearly, in hindsight, a deviation due to weather would have been a way to break this accident chain. I do think that there are many pilots (like me) out there that have an IFR ticket, who do not have the skillset to handle an emergency in IMC conditions. I have a goal of setting and sticking to personal limits - and yet even in gentle IMC conditions I wonder if I could handle an emergency. I have had an auto-pilot failure and am religious about practicing hand flying the airplane. I hope that it I ever need it, I will have what it takes. I do think, however, that my takeaway from this trajedy is to be honest about ones aviation skill set and to set and stick to personal limits. I frequently have to modify my cross-country flight plans, and sometime this is inconvenient. But I fly for fun - as I make a tough calls on conditions, I remind myself that I am recreational pilot with recreational pilot abilities on a recreational pilot schedule. All written and shared with great compassion.....
ReplyDeleteTo the above commentator, WELL SAID. As recreational pilots weather is a deal breaker. If we absolutely have to be somewhere at a certain time, take a commercial flight and leave the flying to the pros.
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ReplyDeleteMy husband and I witnessed the plane go down. It crashed in a beautiful and remote area of Utah with views of Capitol Reef National Park and Boulder Mountain. It was partly cloudy and there was a large dark cloud above us. Could there have been a medical problem?
Thank you for letting me know you witnessed the plane going down and the presence of the dark cloud. I do know that Chris had recently been examined to renew his pilot license. So to my knowledge he was in good health.
DeleteTo this poster .... " Is it the manufacturer's fault that the one safety mechanism which would have prevented this accident wasn't used? Who knows why the chute wasn't chosen but blaming the manufacturer for the character and ability of the operator is poor character in itself."
ReplyDeleteHow do you know the chute wasn't used but failed?
ReplyDeleteI can remember a time when airplanes didn't have parachutes. Real pilots had to fly them from startup to shutdown.
Actually there were two safety mechanisms and I know for a fact the pilot didn't use the first one (correctly) or we wouldn't be reading this.
picturelady:
ReplyDeleteI understand your grief and my condoleances but do you know what to look for in a private or commercial pilot to make sure they are safe to take your daughter, regardless of the fact they are your daughter's husband?
From what you write about him telling you that the plane had a parachute and you not knowing a Cirrus always had a ballistic parachute (marketing ads, t-shirts, mugs etc...) I suspect you don't know you absolutely anything about Aviation and took his word for granted. But he could have been any Joe Shmoe from the street and said that to you and you would believe them too.
For a pilot to be LEGAL to take your daughter flying need to make sure that said pilot:
- Had a current medical (at least third class!)
- Has had a bi-annual review.
- Has had at least 6 approaches and one hold in the last calendar 6 months to be legal to fly in IMC
- Has a current state issued ID
- Has a current pilot's license
As you see the pilot license is the least of your concerns. Look up "Christopher Adam Anderson" and "Arizona crash" and see what I mean. A mother of 3 killed by a completely unlawful pilot.
You will be contacted by lawyers and offered to sue Cirrus and sue anyone connected to this plane. Please don't. This is as useless as blaming a tornado for killing storm chasers.
Small planes are perfectly safe.... only those who disobey rules willingly and take chances will suffer as Aviation doesn't tolerate any neglect or carelessness and the penalty is swift, with no appeal and generally terminal.
And any skilled pilot will know these facts and respect himself and others to always be safe.
To Picturelady:
ReplyDeleteMy wife knew both Chris and Lynn. My wife worked for Chris for years as employee number three and was friends with Lynn who was a co-worker at the time. Ignore the second-guessers. I am also a private pilot with more than 2,000 hours, and when I lose a friend to an aviation accident, I spend the next year or more wondering what could have gone wrong.
I have absolutely no clue what went wrong, and neither does any of the armchair evaluations. I can make guesses no better or worse than other commenters here. I am mostly mystified why he didn't use the parachute, but the NTSB report will say whether it was deployed or not. (Our airplane, a Cessna, did not have a parachute). When you do see a final NTSB report, I would appreciate seeing it as well.
I am Lynn’s mother. We did hear from the board at the one year point and they said it would take them longer to determine the reason for the accident.
DeleteI appreciate you writing. How would I contact you and your wife to give you the information on the final report when it comes?
steve@mann.ws
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