CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR20 — San Diego, CA

What happened

The solo student pilot was conducting pattern work at the accident airport. Video footage from around the airport as well as witness statements showed the accident airplane overfly the runway at a low altitude and high rate of speed. While over the runway the airplane made several pitch up and down oscillations and, when it neared the departure end of the runway, the airplane pitched up and entered into a steep right roll, followed by the nose dropping and the airplane impacting the ground.

Review of recorded communication at the accident airport revealed that when the accident airplane was on final approach to land, the controller instructed the accident pilot to sidestep to the left and go around. There was no response from the accident pilot, and the controller repeated the instruction to go around, without a response. During this timeframe, a radio transmission about a trim problem, thought to be from the accident pilot, was heard on frequency. It is likely that while on final approach to land, with the airplane’s flaps at 50%, and the airplane’s indicated air speed reaching 140 knots, the increased camber from flap deflection increased lift, primarily on the rear portion of the wing and produced a nose-down pitching moment which may have caused the airplane to pitch down. However, with no change in the airplane’s trim position, it mistakenly led the pilot to believe there was a malfunction with the trim, which resulted in the pitch oscillations observed in the witness-provided video and the recoverable data module (RDM).

Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction that would have precluded normal operation.

A review of the RDM data showed that while on final approach to land, the indicated flap position changed from 100% to the 50% position and the airplane’s airspeed continued to increase gradually, reaching a maximum of 140 knots indicated. The recorded data showed that, when the airplane was near the departure end of the runway, with an indicated air speed of 125 knots, the airplane pitched up 20° and banked 13°. The airplane then entered a steep right roll, the electronic stability and protection (ESP) system activated in roll mode as the airplane exceeded a 20° pitch down attitude and 70° bank, the stall warning sounded, and the recording ended. The student pilot likely exceeded the airplane’s critical angle of attack during a turn, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and an impact with terrain.

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