Cirrus Design CORP SR22 accident near Springfield, Missouri, December 20, 2025
On December 20, 2025 at about 7:02 pm local time, a 2008 Cirrus Design CORP SR22, registered N242AZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Springfield, Missouri. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 20, 2025 · about 7:02 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Missouri · 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 2008
- Registration
- N242AZ · registry record · serial 3182
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 20, 2025, about 1302 central standard time, a Cirrus SR22 airplane, N242AZ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Springfield, Missouri. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane departed from the General Dewitt Spain Airport (M01), Memphis, Tennessee, about 1130, for the cross-country flight. According to the pilot, about an hour and twenty minutes after departing, while in cruise flight at 8,000 ft mean sea level, he received a Crew Alerting System (CAS) message indicating a high turbine inlet temperature (TIT). The pilot followed the appropriate checklist and reduced fuel flow to the engine which resolved the CAS message; however, the engine started to run rough. The engine roughness increased over time though the engine instruments indicated normal operation. The pilot elected to divert to the Springfield – Branson National Airport (SGF), Springfield, Missouri, and started a descent. Upon reducing power for the descent, the engine ran significantly worse. The pilot descended at the airplane’s best glide speed and prepared to make a forced landing to a road. The pilot stated that during the forced landing, he moved the power lever forward, but the engine did not provide any thrust. The pilot landed on the southbound lanes on US 65, about 9 miles east-northeast of SGF. During the landing, the airplane’s left wing struck a road sign, crossed the highway median and came to rest upright in the northbound lanes. The pilot and the passenger were able to egress from the airplane without further incident. A post-accident fire ensued and partially consumed the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The airplane was recovered to a secure facility for future examination. The airplane was equipped with a Continental Motors IO-550-N51 reciprocating engine and a Hartzell PHC-J3YF-1N/N7605C 3-blade controllable pitch composite propeller.
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 engine power (total) during enroute defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,882 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 10, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: M01 Memphis TN at 5:30 pm
- Destination: OJC Olathe KS
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from KSGF, 8 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KSGF 201852Z 33010KT 10SM CLR 15/00 A2984 RMK AO2 SLP105 T01500000
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
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.