Cirrus SR20 N485DA

Summary

On 27 February 2024 at about 23:22 local time, a Cirrus SR20 registered N485DA, operated by Aerosim Academy Inc, was involved in an accident near Sanford, Florida, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 February 2024 at 23:22

Classification

Accident

Location

Sanford, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Orlando Sanford Intl (SFB)

Coordinates

28.7785, -81.2488

Aircraft

Cirrus SR20

Registration

N485DA

Category

Airplane

Year built

2007

Engines

1

Operator

Aerosim Academy Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA24LA124

1 person was seriously injured.

A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and the flight crew’s mismanagement of the available fuel.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was returning from a local training flight when the accident occurred. The pilot receiving instruction was flying a practice instrument approach and after removing the view-limiting device he noticed that the airplane’s altitude was low on the approach path. The flight instructor ultimately took control of the airplane and added engine power. The airplane continued to sink, and the flight instructor began to manipulate the throttle, but sensed that the airplane was no longer producing engine power. He stated that he verified the fuel selector placement, though he could not remember which position the fuel selector was in, and that the mixture lever was in the full rich position. Shortly after, the airplane impacted an unoccupied airplane short of the runway and came to rest on a grassy area adjacent to the airport ramp. A postaccident examination of the airplane’s engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, the airplane’s right fuel tank contained ¼ of a gallon of fuel and was not breached. The fuel selector was found in the right-tank position. A review of data recovered from the airplane’s avionics showed a decrease in fuel flow and subsequent loss of engine power about 1 minute before the airplane impacted the terrain. Based on this information, it is most likely that the fuel supply in the airplane’s right wing was exhausted during the landing approach, which resulted in the loss of engine power as the flight instructor attempted to add power to correct the airplane’s descent path.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.