Aircraft: Cirrus SR22. Injuries: None. Location: Farmville, Va. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The purpose of the flight was for the pilot to regain his night currency. According to the pilot, he was attempting to land using the GPS approach.
The airplane was lined up on the runway centerline with the approach lights in sight. At 500 feet AGL, the pilot extended the wing flaps to the full down position. The airspeed suddenly decreased and the rate of descent increased.
The pilot added full power to arrest the descent, however, the airplane came down hard 2,000 feet short of the runway. The airplane bounced twice and then went off the side of the runway and came to rest in the grass.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain the proper approach path, which resulted in a runway undershoot.
NTSB Identification: ERA12CA110
This December 2011 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Ive worked quite a bit on a SR-22. Overall they are solid airplane but do have some qwerks. If flown outside their envelope they will kill you just like any other aircraft will. To answer why the chute is not pulled more often is pretty simple, it essentially destroys the airplane no matter how soft the impact. The airplane must be returned to authorized service facility and rebuilt ( I am not aware of this being done to date) On a new cirrus it is basically a half million or more handle pull.
I would say that GA News is really picking on the Cirrus aircraft lately, either that or there are a lot of incompatant pilots that use the Cirrus as their weapon of choice. Why was he flying a GPS approach to regain night currency ? Was it actually IFR or does he need a GPS to find runways ? It sounds a lot like the crash of the regional airliner which prompted the recent change to training standards, drop the gear/flaps and forget about the compensating for the drag. One thing for sure,
I do not think I would ever accept a ride in a Cirrus, they sound rather dangerous.
SARAH – ‘incompatant’ should be ‘incompetent’
OK so they did not include a spell checker in the comment system and I am a lousy speller…
Reminds me of the jokes about unsafe Bonanzas flown by doctors. I wonder what this guy’s occupation was. It sounds like he was occupied with something other than flying the airplane. Sarah, all airplanes can be dangerous when flown by someone with his head up his you know what.
They called the V Tail Bonanza “The Fork Tailed Doctor Killer” among other things. I guess the Bonanza has passed the torch to Cirrus as the aircraft most likely to be bought by pilots who have more money then skill. Comment was made on the BRS system for which Cirrus is well known. It seems that a lot of the time they pull the handle and nothing happens so it is not much good if it does not work when you need it (or do not).
I read the other day that some overpaid actor with a PP license bought a WWII Spitfire. That is ultimate example of why having money should not be the only criteria for being allowed to buy a high performance aircraft. I wonder how long it will take him to destroy that rare example of aviation history ?
Sarah, if memory serves that actor was Brad Pitt. When reading that my thoughts were similar to what you said.
Yes Mike it was Brad Pitt, fresh from filming a WWII movie he lays down several million to buy an aircraft he has no business flying at his experience level. When these aircraft were new they were flown by many pilots with such levels of experience but they also had a lot of mishaps I would bet. At that time the priorities were to get planes in the air and airplanes were easier to get then qualified pilots. Now we are faced with an aircraft that is too important to aviation history to allow it to be reduced to scrap. If you notice a lack of concern for the pilot you are correct, rich actors are a dime a dozen, Spitfires are not. The article I read indicated that he was currently engaged in getting the training he needed to fly the aircraft. I would guess he has never flown a tail dragger and given their need for greater attention to takeoff and landing skills I just hope he has really really good instructors. And someone should have a few words with whoever would sell such a rare and valuable aircraft to such an unqualified pilot. Why can’t he just go buy a nice single pilot capable business jet and leave the warbirds to pilots with the proper skills and experience to operate them safely ?
Sarah:
That’s why I think that Cirrus pilots probably drive Prius cars. Yes, they are generally less competent than other make and type pilots.
Think it through. Why would anyone buy a fixed gear plane with limited capability for a huge price? Because it has a crutch – a parachute!
The examples of most parachute extensions being inappropriate shows the reliance pilots place on the parachute.
A Cirrus is an Archer on steroids – but attracts pilots with more money than capability – the story last week of the Cirrus on final to a Boston Logan taxiway which had a Jet Blue A320 on it showed a capability problem. There is a consistent problem with Cirrus pilots.
2000 ft. in 2 bounces?
Mighty big bounces!
I’m surprised he didn’t pull his ‘chute – that’s what most of these pilots are doing: Circuit breaker pops – hit the ‘chute; radio crackles – hit the ‘chute; cell phone goes off – hit the ‘chute.
I’m confused too, This “PILOT” was so far over his head he should have had scuba gear, I will lay the underlying blame on the Instructor that prepped him for a career in night flying
Cirrus, a breed apart. Sheesh.
These SR22 pilots and aircraft are dropping like flys after an insect bomb .
He bounced 2000′ short of the runway, then bounced again on and off the runway? I’m confused….