Cirrus SR22 accident near Tyler, Texas, November 22, 2019
On November 22, 2019 at about 7:38 pm local time, a 2014 Cirrus SR22, registered N969JM, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Tyler, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power as a result of detonation due to a combination of improper magneto to engine timing and a rich fuel mixture.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 2019 · about 7:38 pm local time
- Place
- Tyler, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus SR22 NO SERIES, built 2014 · all SR22s on the register
- Registration
- N969JM · no longer on the register · serial 0714
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, about 2 minutes after leveling off at a cruise altitude of 3,000 ft above mean sea level (msl), the engine shook and vibrated. He switched his multifunction display (MFD) to the engine parameter page and all engine indications appeared normal. About 2 minutes later, the indication of the No. 5 engine cylinder turned from green to red. He then reported the engine problem to air traffic control and announced his intentions to divert to an alternate airport. Unable to maintain altitude he began a descent. Shortly thereafter, the engine appeared to operate normally, and he was able to climb about 200 ft per minute before the shaking returned. The airplane descended out of the clouds about 1,200 ft msl, and the pilot deployed the airplane’s parachute system. The airplane impacted the ground and was substantially damaged. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 5 piston head exhibited cleaning and damage consistent with detonation, while the No. 1 cylinder exhibited signatures consistent with the initial phase of detonation. The magneto timing on the engine measured at 27° before top center (BTC) rather than the factory specification of 24° BTC. According to the engine manufacturer, coupled with a rich mixture, this could result in detonation. When asked to describe the engine leaning procedure used, the pilot stated that he would lean the mixture to the blue line on the MFD. According to the airframe manufacturer, the Lean Assist blue line does not take into account engine timing. It is likely that the incorrect engine timing, when combined with a mixture setting that was too rich for the engine condition, resulted in detonation. Investigators did not establish the last time the engine timing was adjusted.
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 (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Ignition system › Magneto/distributor › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, remote
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: unmanned (suas)
- Flight time: 25,400 hours in all; 3,200 in this make and model; 330 in the last 90 days; 105 in the last 30 days; 25,250 as pilot in command; 10,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 22, 2019
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors TSIO 550 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRL Terrell TX at 7:15 pm
- Destination: 07F Gladewater TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KTYR, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
11 documents, released by the NTSB on March 18, 2022. 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.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Engine Exam Summary | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Recoverable Data Module - Specialista��s Factual Report | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Memo for Record - Cirrus Email | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Lean Assist Cockpit Reference Guide | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Recoverable Data Module - Attachment 1 (Rdm Tabular Data for Event Flight) | data file | Download |
| 8 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Oil Line Examination | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 10 | FAA Conducted Interviews | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 11 | FAA On-scene Exam Summary | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
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.