Cirrus Design CORP SR22T accident near Fayetteville, Arkansas, November 3, 2015
On November 3, 2015 at about 3:50 pm local time, a 2014 Cirrus Design CORP SR22T, registered N857SW, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Fayetteville, Arkansas (Drake Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The fatigue failure of the oil cooler cross fitting, which resulted in engine oil starvation and a total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 3, 2015 · about 3:50 pm local time · cases in 2015
- Place
- Fayetteville, Arkansas · Drake Field · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design CORP SR22T, built 2014
- Registration
- N857SW · no longer on the register · serial 0816
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the enroute climb to cruise altitude, the low oil pressure warning light activated. The pilot notified air traffic control, received vectors to the nearest airport, and began a descent as the oil pressure continued to decrease. About 3 miles from the airport, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot could not see the airport or runway due to a cloud layer below and elected to deploy the airplane parachute system. The airplane descended under canopy to a four-lane road, where a car impacted the left wing. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed a fatigue fracture of the oil cooler cross fitting, which resulted in oil starvation, internal damage to the crankcase, and a subsequent total loss of engine power. About four months before the accident, the engine manufacturer released a critical service bulletin (CSB) for a known problem pertaining to the oil cooler cross fitting assembly. Although the airplane underwent scheduled maintenance about a month before the accident, the CSB was not completed due to time constraints. Although compliance was not mandatory, it is likely that the accident would have been prevented had the CSB been completed.
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 engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during emergency descent
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Failure other cases naming the engine
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Design other cases naming the engine
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Not serviced/maintained other cases naming the engine
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 572 hours in all; 175 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 349 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 16, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 232.4 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 30, 2015; 27.5 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors TSIO-550-K (piston); 260 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VBT Bentonville AR at 3:34 pm
- Destination: ACT Waco TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 6,005 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 9 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KFYV, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
17 documents, released by the NTSB on October 4, 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N857SW: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Engine: Continental Motors TSIO-550-K 2,819 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Drake Field · nearest airport
- Bentonville Muni/Louise M Thaden Field · departed from
- Waco Regional · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Arkansas 1,582 since 1982 · 177 in the last ten years
- Arkansas 3,495 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN16LA026.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.