Cirrus Design CORP SR20 accident near Angola, Indiana, January 21, 2022
On January 21, 2022, a 2006 Cirrus Design CORP SR20, registered N42VR, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (IFR final approach) near Angola, Indiana (Tri-State Steuben County 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 pilot’s failure to ensure adequate terrain clearance during an approach. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action when the airplane descended too low after transitioning to a visual descent to the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 2022
- Place
- Angola, Indiana · Tri-State Steuben County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design CORP SR20, built 2006
- Registration
- N42VR · registry record · serial 1673
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The cross-country flight was being conducted by a flight instructor and pilot in conjunction with an instrument rating course from a Part 141 flight school. According to the flight instructor, upon reaching the decision altitude, they transitioned to a visual descent to the runway. During the descent, the airplane impacted trees and the flight instructor assumed control of the airplane and continued to the runway for landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, right wing, and both horizontal stabilizers. The pilot stated that after terminating use of the view limiting device and she transitioned to visual references, she continued to glance back at the glideslope indicator, which showed that they were low on the approach. Shortly thereafter, a tree appeared in front of them, about the same time as they felt the impact. She stated that the precision approach path indicator (PAPI) would not turn on and there was not a current Notice to Air Mission (NOTAM) for the outage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach (IFR final approach) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 335 hours in all; 260 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 278 as pilot in command; 70 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 30, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 132 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 131 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 17, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,141 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 11, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors IO360-ES27B (piston); 68 hours total
- Operator: Board Of Trustees Of Western Michigan University
The flight
- Departed from: KBTL Battle Creek WI at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 4,540 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.50 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from KGWB, 20 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KGWB 202335Z AUTO 34007KT 10SM OVC045 M07/M13 A3050 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on February 4, 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | 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.