Cirrus Design CORP SR20 accident near Chesterfield, Missouri, April 13, 2024
On April 13, 2024 at about 5:45 pm local time, a 2020 Cirrus Design CORP SR20, registered N594M, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Chesterfield, Missouri (Spirit Of St Louis 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 during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 2024 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Chesterfield, Missouri · Spirit Of St Louis · 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 2020
- Registration
- N594M · registry record · serial 2595
- 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 while performing a soft-field takeoff, the airplane briefly lifted off the runway and subsequently bounced. The flight instructor directed the student pilot to pitch down as he applied forward pressure on the yoke. The airplane remained in a nose high attitude and yawed to the left. The flight instructor verbalized “my controls” as the airplane then turned to the right and the pitch increased. The airplane came to rest upright on the edge of the runway. The landing gear collapsed upon impact with the ground which resulted in substantial damage to the engine mount and firewall. The flight instructor stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations.
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 takeoff defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
- Abnormal runway contact during takeoff
- Landing gear collapse during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Yaw control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 838.8 hours in all; 107.5 in this make and model; 98.5 in the last 90 days; 21.2 in the last 30 days; 793.2 as pilot in command; 271.3 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 17, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 75.7 hours in all; 69.7 in this make and model; 2.4 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,709.8 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 22, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 3,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-390 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mistwood Air 1 LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 26R, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 12:54 pm from KSUS
Weather report (METAR): KSUS 131754Z 12007KT 10SM CLR 24/07 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP175 T02440072 10244 20033 58034=
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 June 28, 2024. 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 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | 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.