Cirrus SR20 N527MJ

Summary

On 12 July 2010 at about 19:13 local time, a Cirrus SR20 registered N527MJ, operated by Thomas F. Pitts, was involved in an accident near Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. 3 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 July 2010 at 19:13

Classification

Accident

Location

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Horace Williams Airport (IGX)

Coordinates

35.9350, -79.0658

Aircraft

Cirrus SR20

Registration

N527MJ

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Thomas F. Pitts

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Georgetown → Chapel Hill

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA10FA356

1 person died.

The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing and subsequent improper go-around procedure, which resulted in a loss of directional control, runway excursion, and collision with a tree.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses observed the airplane overfly the runway and enter a left traffic pattern. The airplane appeared to be faster than they were accustomed to seeing small airplanes operating. The airplane touched down hard on the runway surface and bounced several times before departing off the left side into the grass. The engine was described by the witnesses as operating at full power and the airplane appeared to by flying about 60 to 70 mph. The nose of the airplane was observed in a 45-degree nose up attitude and then leveled out back onto the ground. The airplane traveled 840 feet until the left wing collided with a tree and the airplane spun to the left and collided with the airport perimeter fence. The left and right flaps were in the retracted position. The Pilot's Operating Handbook for the airplane stated that the flaps are required to be extended 50 percent for a balked landing/go-around. No anomalies were noted during the examination of the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly, and accessories.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.