Cirrus SR20 N93TA

Summary

On 20 July 2011 at about 19:16 local time, a Cirrus SR20 registered N93TA, operated by Western Michigan University, was involved in an accident near Battle Creek, Michigan, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 July 2011 at 19:16

Classification

Accident

Location

Battle Creek, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

W K Kellogg Airport (BTL)

Coordinates

42.3014, -85.2456

Aircraft

Cirrus SR20

Registration

N93TA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Western Michigan University

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Battle Creek → Battle Creek

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN11CA496

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot's improper flare which resulted in a hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot executed a go-around after the airplane's pitch angle for the approach was too high. He then attempted another approach with a lower angle but at a somewhat faster approach speed with idle engine power. During the landing attempt, the airplane landed hard, bounced twice before the student pilot applied full engine power and retracted flaps from 100 percent to 50 percent in order to execute a go-around. The airplane then veered off the left side of the runway and impacted terrain and a fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage and wing. The pilot student reported no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.