Cirrus SR22 N911TK

Summary

On 6 April 2023 at about 11:50 local time, a Cirrus SR22 registered N911TK was involved in an accident near Jesup, 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 April 2023 at 11:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Jesup, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Jesup-Wayne County (JES)

Coordinates

31.5522, -81.8697

Aircraft

Cirrus SR22

Registration

N911TK

Category

Airplane

Year built

2004

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fernandina Beach → Jesup

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA23FA182

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in a loss of control while maneuvering for a visual landing in low ceiling and low visibility conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to attempt a visual landing in low visibility 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 was commuting to work in his airplane. The pilot did not request any air traffic control services for the 22-minute flight, and the airspace at the destination airport was not tower-controlled. Recorded track data revealed that the pilot began a descent to the destination airport and crossed over the approach end of the runway on a heading perpendicular to the runway heading. He then made two turns of about 180° while flying at airspeeds near the airplane’s published stall speed, and reached about 40° of bank during each turn. Additionally, the post-accident position of the flaps suggested that at least the final phase of this maneuvering was being performed with the wing flaps retracted. The airplane impacted terrain about 1,200 ft short of the runway approach end and about 40 ft north of runway centerline. Although there was an instrument approach procedure for the runway, the track data revealed that there was no attempt by the pilot to execute it. The lowest weather minimums for the approach required at least one mile visibility. Weather at the destination airport at the time of the accident included a 300-ft ceiling, ¼ mile visibility in fog, and calm wind. The weather conditions cleared about an hour after the accident. A postaccident examination of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of a mechanical malfunction or anomaly that would have precluded normal operation. Engine operation was recorded on the onboard avionics and revealed increasing power at impact consistent with the pilot advancing the throttle. Based on this information, it is likely that the pilot attempted to fly under the low overcast while trying to acquire the airport visually. During this attempt, he excessively banked the airplane at slow speed, and with the wing flaps retracted, exceeded the airplane’s critical angle of attack, and lost control of the airplane, resulting in a collision with terrain. His tendency to not be late for appointments may have added self-induced pressure and affected his decision-making during the flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.