Cirrus Design CORP SR22 accident near Montauk, New York, March 7, 2009
On March 7, 2009 at about 4:47 pm local time, a Cirrus Design CORP SR22, registered N574PG, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Montauk, New York (Montauk 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 directional control during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the 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
- March 7, 2009 · about 4:47 pm local time
- Place
- Montauk, New York · Montauk Airport · 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
- Registration
- N574PG · no longer on the register · serial 3198
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) instructed his student to simulate a soft-field takeoff. The student began the takeoff roll, rotated, and momentarily got the airplane into ground effect. The main landing gear then settled back onto the runway, the airplane rolled and yawed to the right, and then collided with a ditch. The CFI had never demonstrated the accident maneuver to the student nor did he provide any formal ground instruction on its execution. There was no formal exchange of aircraft control between the student and CFI, and the student remained on the controls throughout the accident sequence as the CFI tried to effect a recovery. Neither the CFI nor student reported any flight control anomalies or malfunctions and examination of the wreckage did not reveal any. A weather observation at the accident airport about the time of the accident indicated that the wind was calm.
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 control in flight during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,910 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 1,750 as pilot in command; 1,350 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 16, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 40 hours in all; 40 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 40 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 14, 2009; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550-N (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Air Box LLC
The flight
- Departed from: MTP Montauk NY at 4:47 pm
- Destination: MTP Montauk NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,481 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from MTP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.