Low-Altitude Maneuvering · NTSB CEN23LA093
CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR20 — Indianapolis, IN
| Date | January 24, 2023 |
| Location | Indianapolis, IN |
| Aircraft | CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR20 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Maneuvering Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 20 |
| Pilot total time | 220 hrs · Low time |
| Time in type | 198 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Miscellaneous-Intentional act-Suicide-Pilot
What happened
The airplane, rented by the pilot, departed on a reported short cross-country flight. Flight track data showed that after takeoff, the airplane climbed to an altitude of about 1,000 ft above ground level and traveled southeast. Near the end of the flight, the airplane performed a 360° turn and began a rapid descent. The highly fragmented wreckage was located adjacent to a railroad track in a residential area. The airplane damage was consistent with a high angle and high energy impact with terrain. Examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Following a death investigation, the coroner classified the manner of death as a suicide.