April 2016 NTSB Reports

At about 1800 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during final approach. The solo pilot sustained fatal injuries. Visual conditions prevailed. Witnesses indicated the airplane lifted off within the first 1000 feet of the runway then began to bank sharply and reached a 90-degree bank as it climbed to treetop height. While cruising at FL190, the engines manifold pressure dropped from 29 to 15 in. Hg. The pilot arrived over the divert airport and began a circling descent.

Editorial Staff

Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Multiple fatal accidents occurred due to a variety of factors, including loss of control during critical flight phases (takeoff, approach, maneuvering), engine power loss requiring forced landings, and mid-air or ground collisions.
Contributing causes to these incidents encompassed mechanical malfunctions (e.g., engine power loss, flight control issues), adverse weather conditions, and potential pilot judgment errors such as low-altitude maneuvering or runway conflicts.
Service Difficulty Reports (SDRs) and some incidents highlighted recurring issues with landing gear systems, involving collapses, unsafe indications, and component failures often linked to mechanical wear, corrosion, or insufficient maintenance.

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Cirrus Design SR22T

January 26, 2016, Xenia, Ohio

At about 1800 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during final approach. The solo pilot sustained fatal injuries. Visual conditions prevailed.

After a normal IFR flight, the pilot was cleared to fly an RNAV approach, broke out of the cloud base and canceled IFR. An airport employee witnessed the airplane flying downwind beneath the cloud base and later stated it appeared to be setting up for a circling visual approach. Witnesses reported seeing the airplane appear to start a left base turn to final and then nose down prior to the runway threshold. Observed weather included a 1700-foot ceiling with wind from 240 degrees at nine knots, gusting to 14 knots and variable between 240 to 330 degrees.