Cirrus Design CORP SR20 accident near Englewood, Colorado, October 11, 2011
On October 11, 2011 at about 3:21 pm local time, a 2004 Cirrus Design CORP SR20, registered N777XG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Englewood, Colorado (Centennial airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a bounced landing from which he was unable to recover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 11, 2011 · about 3:21 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Centennial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design CORP SR20 NO SERIES, built 2004
- Registration
- N777XG · no longer on the register · serial 1428
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the student pilot, the airplane was high on final approach. He said that the airplane touched down on the main landing gear and that he added back pressure on the control yoke, but the airplane bounced and became airborne again. The airplane bounced several times before exiting the runway, sliding across the grass, traveling down a hill, and coming to rest next to a fence. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to both composite wings. The examination did not disclose any mechanical malfunctions 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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 60 hours in all; 60 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,793 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 12, 2011
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APA Englewood CO at 2:30 pm
- Destination: APA Englewood CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17R, 7,004 ft by 77 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 3:27 pm from KAPA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.