Cirrus Design CORP SR22T accident near Xenia, Ohio, January 26, 2016
On January 26, 2016 at about 10:54 pm local time, a 2014 Cirrus Design CORP SR22T, registered N1703, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Xenia, Ohio (Lewis A Jackson Regional airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while turning from the base leg to final, which resulted in the wing's critical angle-of-attack being exceeded and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 2016 · about 10:54 pm local time
- Place
- Xenia, Ohio · Lewis A Jackson Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design CORP SR22T NO SERIES, built 2014
- Registration
- N1703 · no longer on the register · serial 0806
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot was repositioning the airplane to its home base after maintenance was completed at a repair station. The pilot filed an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan with a cruise altitude of 9,000 ft mean sea level (msl). The en route portion of the flight to the destination was uneventful. Before descending to approach altitude, the pilot contacted approach control and reported that he had received weather information for the destination airport. The pilot then requested and was given clearance to fly the area navigation (RNAV) approach to runway 7. Approach control cleared the pilot to descend to 3,000 ft msl and issued pilot reports for icing. The pilot flew the RNAV approach to runway 7, tracking inbound to the airport on the published approach course. About 5.8 miles from the airport, the pilot cancelled his IFR clearance and continued inbound under visual flight rules. His recorded altitude at the time of IFR cancellation was 2,700 ft msl. Reported weather at the airport at the time of the accident included a ceiling of 1,700 ft above ground level (2,649 ft msl) and wind from 240 degrees at 9 kts, gusting to 14 kts, and variable from 240 to 330 degrees. One witness at the airport saw the airplane enter a downwind leg to land into the wind on runway 25. As the airplane began its turn from the base leg to final, several other witnesses saw it nose down and descend to impact in wooded terrain about 300 ft short of the runway threshold. A postaccident weather study showed high icing potential within the cloud layers above the surface and a likelihood of moderate or greater icing along the airplane's route of flight until the airplane descended below the cloud ceiling. Because the surface temperature was below freezing, any structural ice that built up on the airplane while it descended through the clouds would not have melted after the airplane descended below the cloud ceiling. An examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. Data recovered from the airplane's Remote Data Module showed that the airplane's anti-ice tank switch was turned on about 7 minutes 30 seconds before the accident and remained on for 1 minute 50 seconds. The switch was then turned off and remained off for the remainder of the flight. The airplane's flaps were extended to the "HALF" position about 2 minutes 50 seconds before the accident. Just before the data ended, the airplane's pitch and bank increased, and the stall warning activated. In the last 3 seconds of data, the airplane's bank angle was 48 to 50 degrees, and the indicated airspeed was between 87 and 90 kts. The Pilot's Operating Handbook for the airplane showed that at 60 degrees of bank with half flaps, the airplane's stall speed was 95 kts. It is possible that, during the approach, ice accumulated on the airplane, which may have increased the airplane's stall speed. However, regardless of whether or not structural ice was present, during the turn to final, the pilot allowed the airspeed to decrease below the airplane's published stall speed. As a result, the wing's critical angle-of-attack was exceeded, and the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall and departed controlled flight.
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
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,075 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 1, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,198.1 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 14, 2015
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-550-K1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TYQ Indianapolis IN at 10:00 pm
- Destination: I19 Xenia OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,700 ft; clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 11:02 pm from I19, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
19 documents, released by the NTSB on November 3, 2016. 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.
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.
