Cirrus SR22 N121LD

Summary

On 25 October 2006 at about 19:08 local time, a Cirrus SR22 registered N121LD, operated by Luis A. Castro, was involved in an accident near Meadview, Arizona, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 October 2006 at 19:08

Classification

Accident

Location

Meadview, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cirrus SR22

Registration

N121LD

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Luis A. Castro

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

S Lake Tahoe → Grand Canyon NP

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX07FA021

4 people died.

The pilot's inadequate weather evaluation and continued flight into forecasted icing conditions. Contributing to the severity of the accident was the pilot's failure to follow proper operating procedures and deploy the CAPS when the airplane entered a spin. The flight service specialist's failure to follow published procedures to provide adverse weather or forecast potential hazardous conditions along the intended route of flight, as well as the air traffic controller's failure to provide the pilot with radar-displayed weather information were factors.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot contacted a flight service station (FSS) specialist to file an instrument flight plan. He stated that he had onboard weather and did not need a weather briefing; however, the FSS specialist did not provide information about adverse weather conditions along the route of flight, as required by FAA directives. The pilot then departed on the cross-country flight. While en route to his destination, the pilot told the air traffic controller that he needed to deviate around weather. The air traffic controller was aware of thunderstorms along the pilot's route of flight, as well as an icing report north of his position. The air traffic controller did not advise the pilot of the known weather information, as required by FAA directives. The pilot continued and then stated that they had an emergency due to icing conditions. Meteorological conditions at the time of the accident showed that the pilot encountered rime/mixed icing of at least moderate intensity, in convection. Thunderstorms were in the area and turbulence was also possible. The airplane then stalled and entered a spin. There was no evidence that the pilot attempted to activate the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), although activation of the system is the only approved recovery of the airplane after its entry into a spin. Weather information transmitted to the airplane's onboard weather system contained weather forecasts of icing, turbulence, and thunderstorms. Whether or not the pilot reviewed this information could not be determined. Testing showed that a fluid line of the anti-icing system could disconnect at higher pressure; however, under normal system pressure the line stayed secured. No other mechanical anomalies were identified during the examinations.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.