Cirrus Design CORP SR22T accident near Fargo, North Dakota, August 22, 2025
On August 22, 2025 at about 8:24 pm local time, a 2021 Cirrus Design CORP SR22T, registered N561RT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Fargo, North Dakota (Hector International airport). 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 failure to maintain directional control during landing with a gusting crosswind. Contributing to the accident was the closure of the wind aligned runway 27.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 2025 · about 8:24 pm local time
- Place
- Fargo, North Dakota · Hector International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design CORP SR22T, built 2021
- Registration
- N561RT · registry record · serial 2355
- 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, while performing a crosswind landing, the airplane touched down upwind wheel first before ballooning due to a gust. The airplane was subsequently pushed towards the left side of the runway after becoming airborne. The pilot elected to execute a go-around, however, the airplane continued to the left and impacted the grass on the left side of the runway which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident the pilot was landing the airplane on runway 18 with wind from 250 at 13 knots gusting 23 knots. The Cirrus SR22T Airplane Flight Manual states that the max demonstrated crosswind is 21 knots. The calculated crosswind was 12.2 to 21.6 knots. The pilot also reported that contributing to the accident was the closure of runway 27 and that an alternate airport with an appropriate runway for the wind conditions should have been chosen.
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 on ground during landing defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,627 hours in all; 199 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,585 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 9, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 894 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-K2B (piston); 894 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U68 Cowley WY at 5:55 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 9,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KFAR
Weather report (METAR): KFAR 222053Z 27016KT 10SM FEW100 28/13 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP140 T02830128 58021=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 9, 2026. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | 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.