Cirrus SR22 N24LA

Summary

On 6 May 2022 at about 08:44 local time, a Cirrus SR22 registered N24LA was involved in an accident near Tybee Island, Georgia, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 May 2022 at 08:44

Classification

Accident

Location

Tybee Island, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

31.7057, -80.7073

Aircraft

Cirrus SR22

Registration

N24LA

Category

Airplane

Year built

2006

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lexington → Barnwell

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA22LA220

1 person died.

A loss of airplane control due to pilot incapacitation, which resulted in an overflight of his destination and subsequent descent into water.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was issued instrument approach instructions from air traffic control (ATC) and instructed to report over a waypoint. The pilot did not report over the waypoint and did not respond to any subsequent ATC communications. At the request of ATC, pilots of another airplane tried to get the accident pilot’s attention but were unsuccessful. They continued alongside and watched as the airplane descended into the ocean. The pilot had a history of heart palpitations and had a loop recorder heart monitor implanted in his left upper chest. The download of the device revealed a period of tachycardia during the time the pilot was not responding to ATC. It is likely that this cardiac event caused the pilot to be incapacitated. Examination revealed there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.