Cirrus Design CORP SR22T accident near Paso Robles, California, April 19, 2024
On April 19, 2024 at about 6:23 pm local time, a 2020 Cirrus Design CORP SR22T, registered N51FM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Paso Robles, California (Paso Robles Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during landing which resulted in a loss of directional control and runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot receiving instructions failure to maintain runway alignment.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 2024 · about 6:23 pm local time
- Place
- Paso Robles, California · Paso Robles Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design CORP SR22T, built 2020
- Registration
- N51FM · registry record · serial 2156
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot receiving instruction reported that while on short final approach, he recognized that he was aligned with the wrong runway. The flight instructor took control of the aircraft and banked hard to the right in an attempt to land on the runway which they were cleared to land. Almost immediately the stall warning sounded, the flight instructor applied throttle and attempted to level the aircraft. The landing gear contacted the runway, the airplane continued across the runway into a field and came to rest inverted. The pilot receiving instruction sustained serious injury and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Stall warn/stick-shaker/pusher during landing
- Wrong surface or wrong airport during landing
- Runway excursion during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 270 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 106 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 12, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 438 hours in all; 114 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 152 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 19, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 576.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2023; 18.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-550-K (piston); 576 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L35 Big Bear CA at 5:45 pm
- Destination: KPRB Paso Robles CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 6,008 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft; scat at 800 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from PRB, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPRB 192053Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 20/12 A2994 RMK AO2 SLP136 T02000117 58017
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on March 6, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (Flight Instructor) | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (Pilot Receiving Instruction) | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot Receiving Instruction Statement | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Flight Instructor Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N51FM the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.