Cirrus SR20 accident near Watertown, Wisconsin, September 30, 2025
On September 30, 2025 at about 2:03 pm local time, a 2003 Cirrus SR20, registered N814, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Watertown, Wisconsin (Watertown Municipal 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 flight instructor’s failure to maintain control of the airplane following the student pilot’s bounced landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action which resulted in diminished airplane performance during the go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 2025 · about 2:03 pm local time
- Place
- Watertown, Wisconsin · Watertown Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus SR20, built 2003 · all SR20s on the register
- Registration
- N814 · registry record · serial 1281
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and student pilot were conducting a primary instruction flight. The flight instructor reported that the surface wind was calm as they approached the airport to land. The flight instructor stated that the student pilot allowed the airplane to be “slightly high and fast” while on short final approach, but the airplane then joined a normal descent path as it continued toward the runway. The flight instructor estimated that the airplane was 5-10 knots faster than a normal landing speed as it flew over the runway identification numbers. At that point, the flight instructor told the student to reduce engine power to idle, transition his sight picture down the runway, and allow the airplane to decelerate during the landing flare. The airplane bounced upon touchdown, ballooned, descended, and then bounced a second time before the flight instructor took control of the airplane from the student pilot. The flight instructor then increased engine power, increased right rudder input, and pitched for a level attitude to increase airspeed for a go-around. The airplane did not accelerate and bounced for a third time, this time with the stall warning horn audible. The flight instructor reduced the wing flaps from 100% to 50% to gain additional airspeed while flying in ground effect, but she noted that the airplane had ineffective roll and yaw control. She reduced engine power to idle as the airplane drifted left, struck a runway edge light, and departed off the left side of the runway. The airplane then entered an area of high vegetation where it spun around to a stop. The airplane’s aft fuselage sustained substantial damage during the accident. The flight instructor did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Loss of control in flight during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
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 › Lateral/bank 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 › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 599 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 436 as pilot in command; 269 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 11, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 10 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,792.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 22, 2025; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-ES (piston); 2,292 hours total
- Operator: Wisconsin Aviation - Four Lakes Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: RYV Watertown WI at 1:06 pm
- Destination: RYV Watertown WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,429 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 am from KRYV
Weather report (METAR): METAR KRYV 301355Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 18/18 A3025 RMK AO2 T01800178
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Front right of airplane at the accident site
Photograph 2 – Front left of airplane at the accident site
Photograph 3 – Airplane aft fuselage damageThe 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 15, 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 | Photos | PDF, 4 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.