Cirrus Design Corp. SR22 — Big Bear City, CA

What happened

The airplane collided with trees and terrain during a dark night time flight after encountering instrument meteorological weather conditions. The airplane's wreckage was located in mountainous terrain at 8,344 feet mean sea level (msl), 9 miles west of the destination airport. Recorded flight parameter data from the airplane's electronic primary flight display revealed a steady recorded altitude of 8,400 feet for about the last 3 minutes of the flight. Two airmen's meteorological information reports (AIRMETs), both issued about 90 minutes prior to the accident, advised of mountains occasionally obscured by clouds and precipitation, and the presence of turbulence and low-level windshear. Weather observations for the destination airport at 2050 and 2110, which was just prior to the airplane's departure, reported cloud ceilings at 8,400 feet and 7,600 feet msl, respectively. Scattered clouds were reported on the 2130 observation at 7,600 feet and 8,100 feet msl. Based on an analysis of satellite weather data and destination airport weather observations conducted by a Safety Board meteorologist, it is likely that the pilot encountered clouds and turbulence at his flight altitude shortly after 2121 and descended in order to maintain visual flight rules flight. According to the US Naval Observatory, the moon was below the horizon at the time of the accident. Post accident examination of the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly, and accessories revealed no preimpact anomalies.

An editorial "what led to it / how to avoid it" analysis for this accident is generated separately and will appear here.