Cirrus SR22 N765CD

Summary

On 30 August 2015 at about 15:18 local time, a Cirrus SR22 registered N765CD was involved in an accident near Kewanee, Illinois, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 August 2015 at 15:18

Classification

Accident

Location

Kewanee, Illinois, United States

Coordinates

41.2401, -89.9210

Aircraft

Cirrus SR22

Registration

N765CD

Category

Airplane

Year built

2001

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kewanee → Hot Spings

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN15FA388

2 people died.

The pilot's loss of control due to spatial disorientation shortly after takeoff into low instrument meteorological conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The instrument-rated private pilot and two passengers departed on an instrument flight rules flight plan in low instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), including fog and cloud ceilings at 200 ft above ground level.  Before takeoff, the pilot announced on the airport's common traffic advisory frequency that the airplane was departing runway 19; however, the airplane departed runway 27. Radar data indicated that the airplane made 3 nearly 360° left turns in close succession just before ground impact. The airplane's altitude during the turns varied between 1,200 ft and 1,800 ft msl. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation, and data retrieved from onboard engine monitoring equipment indicated that the engine was operating normally throughout the flight. Conditions conducive to the development of spatial disorientation existed at the time of the accident, including restricted visibility, entry into IMC, and maneuvering for an assigned course after takeoff. It could not be determined whether the pilot recognized his error in departing from the incorrect runway, but it is possible that this error presented the pilot with an operational distraction about the time the airplane was entering IMC, and could have precipitated the pilot's spatial disorientation. Additionally, the pilot had reported to the airplane's co-owner the day before the accident that the airplane's autopilot was inoperative and that he did not plan to use it. Thus, the pilot did not have the autopilot available to help manage his workload during the flight. The radar depiction of the accident flight path was consistent with the known effects of spatial disorientation, and it is likely that the pilot became disoriented shortly after entering IMC after takeoff.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.