Loss of Control in Flight · NTSB ERA22LA220
CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22 — Tybee Island, GA
| Date | May 6, 2022 |
| Location | Tybee Island, GA |
| Aircraft | CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Uncontrolled descent Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 67 |
| Pilot total time | 2,240 hrs · Experienced |
| Time in type | 279 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Physical-Impairment/incapacitation-Other loss of consciousness-Pilot
What happened
The pilot was issued instrument approach instructions from air traffic control (ATC) and instructed to report over a waypoint. The pilot did not report over the waypoint and did not respond to any subsequent ATC communications.
At the request of ATC, pilots of another airplane tried to get the accident pilot’s attention but were unsuccessful. They continued alongside and watched as the airplane descended into the ocean.
The pilot had a history of heart palpitations and had a loop recorder heart monitor implanted in his left upper chest. The download of the device revealed a period of tachycardia during the time the pilot was not responding to ATC. It is likely that this cardiac event caused the pilot to be incapacitated.
Examination revealed there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.