Sunday, January 12, 2020

Loss of Control in Flight: Cirrus SR22, N581SD; accident occurred June 02, 2019 at Centennial Airport (KAPA), Denver, Colorado

View of damage to the elevator
Federal Aviation Administration






Additional Participating Entity: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Denver, Colorado

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf 


Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms 

 
https://registry.faa.gov/N581SD


Location: Denver, CO
Accident Number: GAA19CA306
Date & Time: 06/02/2019, 0800 MDT
Registration: N581SD
Aircraft: Cirrus SR22
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

The pilot under instruction, reported that he had recently purchased the airplane, and it was his third dual-instruction flight in the airplane. The flight instructor requested a short approach to accomplish a simulated engine failure approach and landing. The pilot asserted that ground instruction for the simulated engine failure was never accomplished

The instructor requested a simulated emergency landing on runway 17, which was denied by the tower controller due to traffic. The request was made for runway 28 and approved by the tower controller. The airplane intersected runway 28 at a 45° angle. The instructor told the pilot to reduce the power to idle and initiate the approach at 100 knots airspeed. The pilot recalled that by the time glide speed was established "we were on top of the numbers." The pilot under instruction was told to, "turn right" but he felt that it was too late to turn and align the airplane with the runway heading. The airplane touched down hard on the left edge of runway 28, exited the left side of the runway and collided with runway lights, before the instructor steered the airplane back onto the runway and stopped.

The flight instructor reported that he "had given the student ground on how to execute a power-off landing at least twice." During the approach, the airplane turned to the right and intersected a 45° angle toward the runway, the engine power was reduced, the airspeed remained within glide speed parameters, and the instructor told the pilot to, "start your turn," but he did not respond., The airplane overshot the right turn point toward the runway. The pilot applied hard right rudder, and then immediately applied hard left rudder. The instructor took the controls and leveled the airplane, and then applied full power. The airplane landed hard on the left edge of runway 28, it exited the left side of the runway and the instructor pulled the power off. His hand was on top of the pilot's, who subsequently added full power. The instructor reduced the power, but again the pilot added full power. The instructor was able to steer that airplane and bring it to a stop on the runway.

Surveillance footage of the accident provided by the FAA, revealed that during approach, the airplane converged on about a 45° angle toward runway 28. When the airplane approached the runway numbers, the airplane's right wing dropped rapidly, and the nose pitched up. Seconds later, the left wing dropped rapidly, and the airplane impacted the left side of the runway, just prior to the runway aim point markings. The airplane exited the left side of the runway and collided with runway lighting. The airplane remained upright and returned to the runway surface before coming to a stop about mid-field.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the elevator, and the vertical stabilizer.

Both pilot's reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 70, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 06/19/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 07/15/2017
Flight Time:   (Estimated) 1444 hours (Total, all aircraft), 7 hours (Total, this make and model), 1444 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 8 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 7 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Flight Instructor Information

Certificate: Airline Transport; Commercial; Flight Engineer
Age: 65, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Multi-engine; Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 03/26/2019
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 01/31/2018
Flight Time: (Estimated) 18000 hours (Total, all aircraft), 67 hours (Total, this make and model) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cirrus
Registration: N581SD
Model/Series: SR22 Undesignated
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2008
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 3171
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection:  Unknown
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3100 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 753 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: C91 installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: IO-550-N
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 315 hp
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: KAPA, 5883 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1353 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 90°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 8000 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 10 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: 210°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 30.08 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 17°C / 8°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Denver, CO (APA)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Denver, CO (APA)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 0715 MDT
Type of Airspace: Class D

Airport Information

Airport: Centennial (APA)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 5885 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 28
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 4800 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Full Stop; Traffic Pattern

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None
Latitude, Longitude: 39.570000, -104.849444 (est)

2 comments:

  1. The 'Pilot Statement' reads like it was for his attorney instead of the FAA.

    No doubt that the instructor should have taken the airplane sooner.

    Curious as to what the pilot had flown previously from a performance standpoint. As I have aged I have elected to back off on higher performance aircraft ... Not quite as sharp as I once was. YMMV

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  2. Traffic patterns at KAPA are right for RW17 and left for RW28. Was the 45 degree turn to the right on final for RW28 after being denied RW17 some kind of late correction? CFI could have used a normal left pattern approach for the first power off practice landing and avoided creating "Air Wagner" final correction requirements.

    One lesson from this might be to use a rented Cirrus from the instructor's FBO so you don't crash your own in the training. 2008 Cirrus aircraft for sale list about $360,000 so you don't have to wonder why the owner panicked and would not relinquish throttle control during the unfolding madness.

    ReplyDelete