Cirrus Design Corp. SR-22 accident near Park Falls, Wisconsin, September 10, 2004
On September 10, 2004 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cirrus Design Corp. SR-22, registered N1223S, was destroyed in an accident near Park Falls, Wisconsin (Park Falls Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flightcrew's failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent impact with water during approach. The low altitude was a factor in the accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2004 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Park Falls, Wisconsin · Park Falls Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design Corp. SR-22
- Registration
- N1223S · no longer on the register · serial 0105
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was destroyed when it impacted a river about 1,000 feet from the approach end of a runway. Witnesses reported that the airplane was in a left hand turn when it descended out of sight behind a tree line. One witness reported that he saw the tail of the airplane "kick straight up" in the air before he lost sight of it behind the tree line. The certified flight instructor reported that the flight was conducted to return him to his home after he had completed a week of flight instruction with the left seat pilot. He stated that there was no plan to land at the accident airport, and that he had no recollection as to why the airplane was diverting to the accident airport. Examination of the airplane revealed no pre-impact anomalies. A postaccident operational engine test was conducted and the engine was able to achieve 2,880 rpm at 27.5 inches of manifold pressure. No pre-impact anomalies were noted.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 185 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,895 hours in all; 600 in this make and model
- Last flight review: August 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 506 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2003; 359 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550 N-7 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SBM Sheboygan WI
- Destination: DLH Duluth MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 15 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from KPBH, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N1223S the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.