Landing / Ground Loss of Control · NTSB ERA10FA356
CIRRUS SR20 — Chapel Hill, NC
| Date | July 12, 2010 |
| Location | Chapel Hill, NC |
| Aircraft | CIRRUS SR20 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Landing-flare/touchdown Hard landing |
| Pilot age | 65 |
| Pilot total time | 462 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | 197 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1, 1 serious |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of checklist-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action sequence-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Landing flare-Incorrect use/operation
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Configuration-Not attained/maintained - C
What happened
Witnesses observed the airplane overfly the runway and enter a left traffic pattern. The airplane appeared to be faster than they were accustomed to seeing small airplanes operating. The airplane touched down hard on the runway surface and bounced several times before departing off the left side into the grass. The engine was described by the witnesses as operating at full power and the airplane appeared to by flying about 60 to 70 mph. The nose of the airplane was observed in a 45-degree nose up attitude and then leveled out back onto the ground. The airplane traveled 840 feet until the left wing collided with a tree and the airplane spun to the left and collided with the airport perimeter fence. The left and right flaps were in the retracted position. The Pilot's Operating Handbook for the airplane stated that the flaps are required to be extended 50 percent for a balked landing/go-around. No anomalies were noted during the examination of the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly, and accessories.