Cirrus SR22 accident near Denver, Colorado, November 6, 2020
On November 6, 2020 at about 10:11 pm local time, a 2019 Cirrus SR22, registered N418DE, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Denver, Colorado (Centennial Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing with a gusting crosswind and his failure to go around and relinquish control of the airplane when directed by the instructor pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 6, 2020 · about 10:11 pm local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Centennial Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus SR22, built 2019 · all SR22s on the register
- Registration
- N418DE · registry record · serial 2498
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that he and student pilot were landing at their home airport following a training flight. During the planned full stop landing with a gusting crosswind, the student pilot flared high, and the airplane drifted left of runway centerline. The flight instructor called for a go-around and subsequently attempted to take control of the airplane, but the student pilot did not understand the flight instructor’s verbal commands resulting in the two pilots “fighting” over the flight controls. The airplane subsequently impacted terrain to the left of the runway and subsequently slid across a taxiway coming to rest between the taxiway and the parking apron. The airplane’s left wing and firewall sustained substantial damage. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the student pilot was landing the airplane on runway 17L with wind 230o at 10 to 15 knots.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Understanding/comprehension › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 843 hours in all; 311 in this make and model; 199 in the last 90 days; 63 in the last 30 days; 746 as pilot in command; 419 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 4, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 25 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 348 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 6, 2020; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO390 (piston); 350 hours total
- Operator: Independence Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: CFO Front Range CO at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17L, 10,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KAPA
Weather report (METAR): KAPA 062153Z 23010KT 10SM SCT130 BKN220 22/M09 A2988 RMK AO2 SLP062 T02221094
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 18, 2021. 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 | Record of FAA Examination and Damage Determination | 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.
Other NTSB records under N418DE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.