Cirrus SR22 N141SR

Summary

On 15 March 2008 at about 03:50 local time, a Cirrus SR22 registered N141SR, operated by Hector K Collison, was involved in an accident near Front Royal, Virginia, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 March 2008 at 03:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Front Royal, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Front Royal-Warren County (FRR)

Coordinates

38.9056, -78.3189

Aircraft

Cirrus SR22

Registration

N141SR

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Hector K Collison

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Front Royal → Baltimore

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

NYC08FA138

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from rising mountainous terrain, and his failure to turn toward his assigned course during initial climb. Contributing to the accident were the low ceiling, reduced visibility, dark night conditions, and rising mountainous terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed from runway 27 on a night instrument flight rules flight in marginal visual meteorological conditions. Rising mountainous terrain was located west of the departure airport. The pilot's first waypoint was located northeast of the airport. There was no record of the pilot previously departing the airport at night. Recorded data from the airplane's primary flight display showed that during controlled flight just prior to impact the airplane was climbing and accelerating, reaching a pressure altitude of approximately 2,200 feet mean sea level (msl) and an indicated airspeed of 140 knots. About 6 seconds before the end of the recording, the airplane began a steep descending turn to the left (roll attitude reached a peak value of 95 degrees left wing down, pitch attitude reached a peak of about 27 degrees nose down). The airplane collided with the rising terrain, about 4 miles west of the airport, at about the 1,200 msl level while on a southerly heading. Recorded weather about the time of the accident included a broken ceiling at 2,400 feet, overcast ceiling at 3,000 feet, visibility 3 miles in rain, and winds from 340 degrees at 4 knots. Examination of the airplane, airplane systems, engine, and propeller did not reveal any preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.