Cirrus Design CORP SR20 accident near Brooksville, Florida, November 22, 2011
On November 22, 2011 at about 2:06 pm local time, a Cirrus Design CORP SR20, registered N497DA, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Brooksville, Florida (Pilot Country Airport). It was an instructional 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 incorrect identification of the runway, which resulted in an off-airport landing and subsequent collision with objects.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 2011 · about 2:06 pm local time
- Place
- Brooksville, Florida · Pilot Country 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
- N497DA · no longer on the register · serial 1843
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, while in the vicinity of an unfamiliar airport, he used his global positioning system (GPS) to align the airplane with the runway. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted mailboxes and fences, and the pilot realized that he had landed on a residential street. The runway was about 1.5 miles to the west. According to a representative of the flight school that operated the airplane, there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. Examination of the airplane revealed that the wings sustained substantial damage.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during approach defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusio › Geographic disorient (lost) › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 153 hours in all; 148 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 93 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 16, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,495 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 18, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-360-ES16B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFB Sanford FL at 1:00 pm
- Destination: X05 Brooksville FL
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from BKV, 9 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N497DA 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.