Cirrus Design CORP SR20 accident near Chester, Connecticut, October 7, 2008
On October 7, 2008 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Cirrus Design CORP SR20, registered N889LD, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Chester, Connecticut (Chester Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to obtain the proper touchdown point while landing. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s inexperience landing at the airport, night conditions, and non-standard runway lighting.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 2008 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Chester, Connecticut · Chester Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design CORP SR20
- Registration
- N889LD · registry record · serial 1434
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The accident flight was the first time the pilot was landing at the privately owned, publicly used airport, with non-standard runway lighting. The pilot was concerned with the runway length and steep drop-off at the end of the runways. The landing runway was 2,566 feet long, 50 feet wide, and was not equipped with a visual slope indicator. Upon his approach to the destination airport, the pilot noted that the runway lights were dim. The night was especially dark for the pilot, limiting his visual cues. The pilot landed hard, on up-sloping terrain, 6 feet short of where the runway’s pavement began. Both main landing gear brake system were damaged in the process. The pilot was not able to brake or steer the airplane. The airplane veered off to the left, went through a fiberglass fence, and down an embankment before coming to a stop into several pine trees.
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
- Landing area undershoot during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › (general) › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on personnel
- factor Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › Runway lighting › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 576 hours in all; 234 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 455 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 31, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 949 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 13, 2008; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CPK Chesapeake VA at 7:30 pm
- Destination: SNC Chester CT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35, 2,566 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
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.