Cirrus Design Corp. SR22 accident near King, North Carolina, December 27, 2003
On December 27, 2003 at about 8:42 pm local time, a Cirrus Design Corp. SR22, registered N742CD, was substantially damaged in an accident near King, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the pilot's failure to maintain a visual lookout and obstacle clearance while performing a simulated engine out resulting in an in-flight-collision with a power line and the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 2003 · about 8:42 pm local time
- Place
- King, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design Corp. SR22
- Registration
- N742CD · registry record · serial 0139
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he was at 5,500 feet explaining to a passenger what he would do in the event of an engine failure. He pulled the power back, continued the explanation, and turned towards a forced landing area. He increased throttle at 3,500 feet in order to change his direction and head back. The power lever felt funny and the engine did not respond. He continued to monitor his instruments and continued with the forced landing. He did not inform his passengers of the emergency. The pilot did not remember seeing the power lines before the collision. The front seat passenger informed the Highway Patrol Officer who responded to the accident site that when the pilot attempted to climb out from the approach, the airplane collided with the power line and the ground. A witness on the ground who observed the accident stated the airplane was in a right descending turn heading towards an open field. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, and throttle assembly, revealed no anomalies. The engine was mounted in a test stand. The engine started and ran at idle power. After engine warm up the throttle was increased to 2,000 rpm and a magneto check was completed. The throttle was advanced to full power and back to the idle position. The engine was shut down with the mixture control..
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 398 hours in all; 118 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 392 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 23, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,334 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 18, 2003; 141 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTV Martinsville VA at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from INT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.