Cirrus Design CORP SR20 accident near Portage, Wisconsin, October 1, 2025
On October 1, 2025 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 2002 Cirrus Design CORP SR20, registered N78RC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Portage, Wisconsin (Portage Muni 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 proper airspeed and attitude for a short field landing. 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
- October 1, 2025 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Portage, Wisconsin · Portage Muni · 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 2002
- Registration
- N78RC · registry record · serial 1259
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was attempting a short field landing. While on final approach he slowed to just above 70 knots. Just after this, the instructor noticed the pitch attitude increase and the airspeed decrease so he called out, “go around, go, go!” and attempted to help advance the throttle but the student was already doing it. The airplane landed just beyond the runway numbers and then became airborne again. The student and instructor completed the traffic pattern and landed uneventfully. The flight instructor examined the main landing gear and did not find any damage present, so they returned to their home base whereupon the flight instructor found substantial damage to the structure for the vertical stabilizer. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions of failures with the airplane 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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,963.3 hours in all; 417 in this make and model; 192.7 in the last 90 days; 65.8 in the last 30 days; 1,858.6 as pilot in command; 1,602.8 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 11, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 180.3 hours in all; 126.8 in this make and model; 36.3 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 12 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,087.8 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 11, 2025
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360 ES (piston); 2,330 hours total
- Operator: Wisconsin Aviation - Four Lakes Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: KMSN Madison WI at 3:20 pm
- Destination: C47 Portage WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,770 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.24 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 am from KDLL, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KDLL 011535Z AUTO 11006KT 10SM CLR 22/14 A3024 RMK AO2 T02180143=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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 November 4, 2025. 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, 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.