Cirrus SR22 N587CD

Summary

On 24 April 2021 at about 18:12 local time, a Cirrus SR22 registered N587CD was involved in an accident near Port Aransas, Texas, United States. 3 people were on board and one died, 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 April 2021 at 18:12

Classification

Accident

Location

Port Aransas, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Mustang Beach (RAS)

Coordinates

27.8103, -97.0874

Aircraft

Cirrus SR22

Registration

N587CD

Category

Airplane

Year built

2005

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN21FA199

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the go-around, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Following the local flight, the pilot was approaching the airport for landing. Witnesses noted that the airplane was “low and slow” on the approach and almost touched down short of the runway. Before landing, the pilot appeared to initiate a go-around; the engine power increased, the airplane’s nose pitched up sharply, the left wing dropped, the engine power decreased, and the airplane impacted the ground inverted in a nose-low angle in front of a row of hangers adjacent to the runway. Video recorded by the front-seat passenger captured the accident flight and impact sequence. About 8 seconds before the impact, the video showed the flap selector switch in the UP (0%) position. About 5 seconds before the impact, the video and audio captured an increase in engine rpm, followed by a left roll, an immediate decrease in engine rpm, and impact with terrain in a left-wing low attitude. Data downloaded from the airplane’s primary flight display showed that just prior to the accident, the airplane’s nose pitched to about 22o, as the airplane rolled to the left and then descended rapidly with a pitch of 30o nose down. The airspeed at the time the data ended was 71 knots. The left roll continued until the data ended. The airplane was destroyed during the impact sequence. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. According to the pilot’s operating handbook for the airplane, normal landings should be made with the flaps fully extended. Based on the cell phone video, witness observations, and the accident site evidence, it is likely that the pilot failed to maintain proper airspeed during a go-around, which resulted in the exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall at an altitude too low to recover.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.