Cirrus Design CORP SR22 accident near Midland, Texas, May 9, 2023
On May 9, 2023 at about 1:00 pm local time, a 2003 Cirrus Design CORP SR22, registered N433CF, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Midland, Texas. It was a personal 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 inadequate fuel management which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 2023 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Midland, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design CORP SR22, built 2003
- Registration
- N433CF · registry record · serial 0710
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that when he was about 6 miles from the destination airport, the engine began running very rough. The pilot turned 180° toward an alternate airport that he had just flown over and declared an emergency. He attempted to troubleshoot the engine roughness, but was unsuccessful, and the engine lost total power. Unable to reach the runway, the pilot conducted a forced landing to a rough field. During the forced landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the right fuel tank contained no usable fuel, and the left fuel tank contained about 25 gallons of fuel. The fuel selector was found in the right fuel tank position. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. After the accident, the pilot stated that he had no memory of changing tanks during the flight.
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
- Fuel starvation during enroute defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,254 hours in all; 93 in this make and model; 2,186 as pilot in command; 446 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,492.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 14, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550-N (piston); 1,222 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KFWS Fort Worth TX at 11:30 am
- Destination: KODO Odessa TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 am from KMAF, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMAF 091253Z 20007KT 7SM CLR 19/11 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP095 T01890106
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 7, 2023. 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, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 2 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.