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Accidents · NTSB CEN16FA111 · Final report

Cirrus Design CORP SR20 accident near Navasota, Texas, February 28, 2016

On February 28, 2016 at about 2:59 pm local time, a 2003 Cirrus Design CORP SR20, registered N477TC, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Navasota, Texas (Navasota Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).

The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged

The flight instructor's delayed remedial action to prevent a stall at an altitude that was too low to recover. Contributing to the accident was the owner/non-certificated pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane, which resulted in an accelerated aerodynamic stall.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
February 28, 2016 · about 2:59 pm local time
Place
Navasota, Texas · Navasota Municipal Airport · map
Type
Accident
Injuries
4 people were killed.
Weather
visual conditions (good weather)
Aircraft
Cirrus Design CORP SR20, built 2003
Registration
N477TC · no longer on the register · serial 1378
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

The flight instructor and the airplane owner, who did not hold a pilot certificate, were practicing takeoffs and landings in the airplane at an uncontrolled airport. Based on logbook records, this was most likely an instructional flight and the owner was most likely flying the airplane. Air traffic control radar and primary flight display data showed that they had performed two touch-and-go landings followed by two full stop landings before the accident. Shortly after taking off following the second full stop landing, while climbing through 550 ft mean sea level (msl) at an indicated airspeed of about 92 knots, the airplane entered a left bank and began to decelerate. The airplane began to descend, and the airspeed subsequently decreased below 75 knots before it began to increase. The airplane reached a 61° left-wing-down attitude at an airspeed of about 79 knots before entering a rapid roll to the right, through an inverted position. At about the same time, the airplane began a rapid pitch down, reaching a 69° nose-down attitude. The airplane briefly recovered to nearly wings level but again began to pitch down until the final recorded data point, which showed the airplane in a 65° nose-down and 45° right-wing-down attitude, at 268 ft msl, and 89 knots indicated airspeed. The airplane impacted terrain about 0.43 miles from the departure end of the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have prevented normal operation. Calculations based on the airplane's weight at the time of the accident indicated that, at 1g with flaps up, the aerodynamic stall speed would have been 75 to 78 knots calibrated airspeed. The stall speed in a 60° turn (2 g) would have been 105 to 109 knots. Therefore, it is likely that the combination of a steep left bank and low airspeed resulted in an accelerated aerodynamic stall.

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

  1. Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
  2. Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent

The NTSB's findings

  • cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
  • factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
  • factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
  • factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained

Pilot

  • Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
  • Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
  • Flight time: 6,550 hours in all
  • Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
  • Seat: rgt
  • Injury: fatal

Dual student

  • Flight time: 106 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 32.2 in the last 90 days; 32.2 in the last 30 days; 0 as pilot in command
  • Seat: left
  • Injury: fatal

The aircraft

  • Airframe total time: 487.2 hours
  • Last inspection: annual inspection, January 12, 2016; 56 hours since
  • Seats: 4
  • Landing gear: fixed
  • Engine: Cont Motor IO-360-ES6B (piston); 487 hours total

The flight

  • Departed from: 60R Navasota TX at 2:50 pm
  • Flight plan: none
  • Runway 17, 5,003 ft by 75 ft
  • A second pilot was aboard

Weather at the time

  • Light: daylight
  • Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
  • Visibility: 10 statute miles
  • Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
  • Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
  • Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
  • Observation at 2:53 pm from CLL, 29 miles away

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Flight crew1
Passengers3

Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report

17 documents, released by the NTSB on December 5, 2017. 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.