N922XX Cirrus SR-22 G3-X Turbo nosedives into runway . . .

[robbreid]

Accident happened this morning (Sept 11/09) at Rock Hill/York County Airport in South Carolina - witnesses stated the aircraft had just departed when it attempted to return to the airport. Aircraft nosedived into the end of the runway.

Click Here news and video coverage.


Flightaware photo by wcbjr

[bmc]

QUOTE
According to the Cirrus Pilots and Owners Association website, "despite many safety improvements of the Cirrus Design, fatal accidents continue to occur."

The website goes on to say, "For the life of the fleet after the introduction of the SR20 in mid-1999, there have been 44 fatal accidents in production Cirrus SR2x aircraft."

Altogether, 88 people have died and 13 injured in crashes related to this particular type of aircraft.
UNQUOTE

[robbreid]

The press are reporting the owner/pilot had obtained his pilots license less than a year ago.

[Hedley]

The fixed-gear Cirrus and Columbia aircraft are
targeted at low-time pilots who can't get insurance
coverage on retractable-gear aircraft such as the
Bonanza, Mooney, etc.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with these zoomy
fixed-gear aircraft AFAIK ... except the pilots who
own them.

[AEROBAT]

I understand the Cirrus had problems with the spin tests during certification and had to install the 'chute to meet FAA requirements.

For the money you lay out to buy a Cirrus there dozens of planes I would pick before I would buy a Cirrus.

[Hedley]

Heck yeah, for the price of a Cirrus you could get this instead:

1976 LEAR 24E, TTAF 9264. Has a 24D fuel system allowing an extra 840 pounds of fuel. Two speed pitch trim. AAK 91-13 installed for 5-seat operation thus not requiring a cockpit voice recorder and taws. Drag Chute option. Updated avionics and cabin. $325,000. IL/(312) 446-0005.

[Changes in Latitudes]

I got to put the SR-22GT through its paces a few years back. I am just an average pilot and found this to be a very stable and friendly aircraft in all normal flight regimes. Stable in slow flight, forgiving stall characteristics.

However, I did not get to fly it outside of the envelope in which it was designed for. This seems to be most frequent way to pack one in.

[paydaymayday]

Cirrus SR-22... the doctor killer of the 21st century.

[yycflyguy]

Heck yeah, for the price of a Cirrus you could get this instead:

1976 LEAR 24E, TTAF 9264. Has a 24D fuel system allowing an extra 840 pounds of fuel. Two speed pitch trim. AAK 91-13 installed for 5-seat operation thus not requiring a cockpit voice recorder and taws. Drag Chute option. Updated avionics and cabin. $325,000. IL/(312) 446-0005.

If you can't handle a Cirrus you can't handle a LJ-24... plus with the prices of JetA the operational costs of a Lear is substantially more than the Cirrus.

[FlaplessDork]

Probably flew it into the ground on autopilot.

[MichaelP]

The problem with the Cirrus is the wealthy people who buy them.
Often older pilots who want the best money can buy and with a parachute at that!

The problem is they are too fast for the thinking of the older pilots who learn to fly in them... Often having to go to the States to do it because Canadian instructors don't want the headache, or the grey hairs!
We're a lot smarter on average up here than the 'everyone can fly a Cirrus' people down south.

I flew an SR20 here; they wanted us to put it out as a primary trainer... NBW!
It was doing over a 140 knots before it left the Boundary Bay control zone.
Any instructor who realises the trouble a student can have being ahead of an 80 knot aeroplane will know that a similar student doing 140 knots is an accident about to happen and perhaps narrowly averted many times!

The Cirrus is a nice aeroplane, but it is not a trainer, and it should not be put into inexperienced hands regardless of the money these same hands can pass.

[AEROBAT]

I flew an SR20 here; they wanted us to put it out as a primary trainer... NBW!
.

Primary trainer? I would think the spin recovery training would get rather expensive, every time you pull the 'chute the plane is pretty much a write off

[iflyforpie]

Heck yeah, for the price of a Cirrus you could get this instead:

1976 LEAR 24E, TTAF 9264. Has a 24D fuel system allowing an extra 840 pounds of fuel. Two speed pitch trim. AAK 91-13 installed for 5-seat operation thus not requiring a cockpit voice recorder and taws. Drag Chute option. Updated avionics and cabin. $325,000. IL/(312) 446-0005.

I'm willing to bet it is not Stage 3 with those CJ610s, so that limits your exotic destination choices. Plus paying the principle in maintenance, insurance, crew (the 24 isn't single pilot AFAIK), and fuel every year or so kind of erodes the price comparison.

But yeah, I think the Cirrus is a waste of money; especially since they are a throwaway aircraft.

[N2]

The problem with the Cirrus is the wealthy people who buy them.
Often older pilots who want the best money can buy and with a parachute at that!

The problem is they are too fast for the thinking of the older pilots who learn to fly in them... Often having to go to the States to do it because Canadian instructors don't want the headache, or the grey hairs!
.

I don't think that age has that much to do with it. I have flown with some bloody awful young pilots too and lets face it a 200 TT hour instructor is probably nt up to handling the machine any better than the guy he's trying to teach.

[AEROBAT]

But yeah, I think the Cirrus is a waste of money; especially since they are a throwaway aircraft.[/quote]

The Diamond's diesel engines are another money pit.

[Invertago]

Problem is that these new aircraft and general aviation is just too affordable that these doctors can go get them a 'kill me toy'. We all need general aviation to be more expensive and therefore unattainable by these unfortunate doctors that play lawn darts.

[AEROBAT]

If a fellow kills himself in a Corvette or a Porche it wouldn't even be reported outside the the local area but if a plane even makes a forced approach, with no injuries, there is a good chance it will be on the national news if it is a slow day.

[vova_k]

I understand the Cirrus had problems with the spin tests during certification and had to install the 'chute to meet FAA requirements.

Why people repeat the same completely wrong statement again and again ? I would recommend to read something before making such statements...

[AEROBAT]

I understand the Cirrus had problems with the spin tests during certification and had to install the 'chute to meet FAA requirements.

Why people repeat the same completely wrong statement again and again ? I would recommend to read something before making such statements...

What should I read....Cirrus's little web site blurb that says " few 4 place aircraft have been tested for spins ". That is total BS for starters so why believe the rest of their spiel. Normal catagory single engine planes have to demonstrate a recoverey from a one turn spin to be certified. Cirrus uses a chute to recover.

[MichaelP]

I have flown with some bloody awful young pilots too and lets face it a 200 TT hour instructor is probably nt up to handling the machine any better than the guy he's trying to teach.

There are exceptions to every generalisation...
But it is a fact that as one gets older one takes longer to learn things.
Also physical reactions are more easily developed in a younger person and these stay into old age somewhat.
Older pilots survive on their experience and not on their reactions whereas the reverse might be true with younger people.

As for the 200TT instructor... I agree entirely, and if you think about it, if a 200 hour instructor would likely get into trouble, what about a zero hour student?

I have more than the average flight experience, but I was told I was refused insurance on an SR22... My Instrument rating wasn't current at the time!
Student pilots don't have instrument ratings...

So there you are joining the circuit at an uncontrolled airport in a Cessna 150 when a Cirrus comes in with a student pilot on board, would you feel comfortable?

[LNAV+V]

With the revolution of the VLJ the trend of GA accidents will only continue to climb. Not sure what you need hour wise to insure one, but its probably not enough.
However, this particular accident doesnt sound like it had anything to do with the type of plane or whether the pilot had enough experince to handle it.

[AEROBAT]

Reading the newspaper article it sounds like he had engine trouble just after take off and was trying to get back to the airport. The airplane was in pieces, according to a witness, so he must have stalled it in from a pretty good height. The guy had finished his licence a little over a year earlier but it didn't say how many hours he had.

I agree that you can not fault the aircraft design it that kind of an accident, possibly he couldn't land straight ahead after losing power.

[robbreid]

Aircraft was a new G3 Turbo - pilot was licensed this past November.

Witnesses stated aircraft engine sounded 'like a stunt plane?', and was flying low enough he could
clearly read the N number. Aircraft turned very steeply in an attempt to return to the field, stalled
and hit the embankment at a very steep angle. Aircraft fragmented.

[black hole]

Forget about the students! this thing would be a handful for most of the instructors that I know!??

[Hedley]

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