Stall / Spin · NTSB MIA08FA081
Cirrus SR22 — Waxhaw, NC
| Date | March 20, 2008 |
| Location | Waxhaw, NC |
| Aircraft | Cirrus SR22 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Approach-VFR pattern final Aerodynamic stall/spin |
| Pilot age | 51 |
| Pilot total time | 604 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | 248 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Tailwind-Not specified - F
What happened
The pilot announced over the common traffic advisory frequency his intention to land. The airplane approached the airport from the south at an altitude of approximately 800 feet, crossed the airport near mid-field, entered the traffic pattern for a left downwind to runway 6, and then crashed during the turn from left base to final. Winds were 310 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 20 knots. This combination of wind direction and speed created a situation where grounds speed was higher than airspeed for the turn from base leg to final. The higher ground speed would have required a larger turning radius than normal, or an increased angle of bank than if the winds were calm. (Higher bank angles increase the probability of an airplane entering an aerodynamic stall.) Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical anomalies. Data extracted from the onboard global positioning system revealed that the airplane's last altitude was 838 feet; vertical speed was down -444 feet per minute, indicated airspeed was 60.3 knots, with a pitch attitude of up 4.98 degrees and a left roll of -31.73 degrees. These parameters indicate the airplane had or was about to enter the early phase of an aerodynamic stall.