Cirrus SR22 N88AX

Summary

On 19 April 2015 at about 18:55 local time, a Cirrus SR22 registered N88AX, operated by Alpha X-Ray LLC, was involved in an accident near Fort Myers, Florida, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 April 2015 at 18:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Fort Myers, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Pine Shadows Airpark (94FL)

Coordinates

26.7328, -81.8972

Aircraft

Cirrus SR22

Registration

N88AX

Category

Airplane

Year built

2003

Engines

1

Operator

Alpha X-Ray LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Key West → Fort Myers

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA15LA192

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper decision to land the airplane with a quartering, gusting tailwind and his subsequent failure to flare the airplane and maintain directional control after it bounced, which resulted in a runway excursion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that he checked the weather at a local airport and subsequently chose to land on a runway at his destination airport with a quartering tailwind and gusts to 20 knots. While the pilot was performing a steep approach to the runway, a crosswind "push[ed]" the airplane to the left. Further, the pilot did not flare the airplane, and, during the landing, the airplane touched down on the runway and bounced. The pilot added full throttle in an attempt to perform a go-around, but the airplane slid off the runway. He then retarded the engine throttle and attempted to "straighten" out the landing roll; however, the airplane struck a tree, became airborne again, struck more trees, and finally came to rest upright near a house. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. In addition, he stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had flown over the field, evaluated the wind sock, and conducted a longer approach flight pattern.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.