Cirrus Design CORP SR20 accident near Fort Wayne, Indiana, March 30, 2017
On March 30, 2017 at about 1:56 am local time, a 2010 Cirrus Design CORP SR20, registered N580PU, was destroyed in an accident during landing near Fort Wayne, Indiana (Fort Wayne Intl airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot receiving instruction’s failure to maintain airplane control during a crosswind landing in high gusting winds, and the flight instructor’s failure to maintain a proper airspeed and angle of attack during the go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s decision to conduct a flight in crosswind conditions that exceeded flight school limitations.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 2017 · about 1:56 am local time
- Place
- Fort Wayne, Indiana · Fort Wayne Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design CORP SR20 NO SERIES, built 2010
- Registration
- N580PU · no longer on the register · serial 2039
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that the private pilot receiving instruction performed the approach and crosswind landing. During the landing flare, the airplane suddenly and severely rolled to the left. He thought that he heard the left wing scrape the runway. The instructor took control of the airplane and simultaneously added full engine power and full right aileron to attempt a go-around. He stated that the full right aileron input did little to correct the airplane's attitude, and the wind continued to push the airplane to the left of the runway. As the airplane's airspeed increased, the instructor was able to level the wings and started to pitch the airplane up for the go-around. The instructor noted that he did not feel as if he had the airplane "under control" during the go-around. When the airplane was about 25-50 ft above the ground, it rolled right and pitched down to ground contact. Examination of the airplane, flight control system, and engine did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Damage to the left wing was consistent with runway contact. The data recovered from the airplane's Recoverable Data Module (RDM) showed that, seconds before impact during the go-around, the airplane was banked 17° left and pitched 13° nose up at an airspeed of 55 knots. The pilot's operating handbook listed the airplane's aerodynamic stall speed as 59 knots when loaded to full gross weight with the most rearward center of gravity. The RDM data also indicated that the airplane's aerodynamic stall warning activated about 6 seconds before the impact. At the time of the accident, there was an approximate 50° right crosswind at 20 knots with gusts to 26 knots; these conditions exceeded the flight school's established crosswind limitations. Based on the available information, it is likely that the pilot receiving instruction failed to maintain control of the airplane during the crosswind landing, which led to the left wing contacting the runway. When the flight instructor assumed control of the airplane, he failed to attain appropriate airspeed and allowed the airplane to exceed its critical angle of attack during the attempted go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and incipient spin.
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 landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- 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 › Capability exceeded
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 414 hours in all; 188 in this make and model; 150 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 158 hours in all; 158 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,144 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 29, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 3,050 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-360-ES (piston); 940 hours total
- Operator: Trustees Of Purdue University
The flight
- Departed from: LAF Lafayette IN at 1:00 am
- Destination: FWA Fort Wayne IN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 05, 11,981 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 100° at 20 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 am from FWA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
20 documents, released by the NTSB on November 16, 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.
