Cirrus SR20 N506SR

Summary

On 30 December 2025 at about 14:30 local time, a Cirrus SR20 registered N506SR, operated by McKnight Aviation LLC, was involved in an accident near Louisburg, North Carolina, United States. One person was 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

30 December 2025 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Louisburg, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Triangle North Exec (LHZ)

Coordinates

36.0258, -78.3247

Aircraft

Cirrus SR20

Registration

N506SR

Category

Airplane

Year built

2006

Engines

1

Operator

McKnight Aviation LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Louisburg → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA26LA081

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to compensate for gusting crosswind conditions and subsequent loss of directional control following an aborted go-around attempt, 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 reported that the purpose of this flight was to perform closed-traffic pattern operations at the departure airport. Shortly after departure, the pilot noticed increased wind on the downwind leg and during the turn to final approach. Once on final approach, he initially flew at an indicated airspeed of 65 knots. The pilot then accelerated the airplane to 80 knots “to maintain control” and because “final approach was longer than usual, and the PAPIs [precision approach path indicators] indicated I was low.” He crossed the threshold left of the runway centerline, then at 15 to 20 ft above the runway, the pilot reduced engine power to idle. At the same time, he encountered a gust of wind and the airplane yawed to the left. The pilot attempted to perform a go-around, but touched down with the airplane’s nose pointed 20° to 25° left of the runway heading. He then reduced the engine power to idle and applied right brake to keep the airplane on the runway. The airplane continued to the left, departed the runway, and struck a lighting assembly for the precision approach path indicator. The airplane passed through an area of grass and impacted an embankment east of the runway. During the runway excursion, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.