Cirrus Design CORP SR22 accident near Farmville, Virginia, December 16, 2011
On December 16, 2011, a Cirrus Design CORP SR22, registered N788SR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Farmville, Virginia (Farmville Regional 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 did not maintain the proper approach path, which resulted in a runway undershoot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 2011
- Place
- Farmville, Virginia · Farmville Regional 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 SR22
- Registration
- N788SR · registry record · serial 2887
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the intention of the flight was to become night current. He was on the global positioning system approach and was lined up on the runway centerline with the approach lights in sight. At 500 feet above ground level, the pilot extended the wing flaps to the full down position. When the airplane was closer to the ground, the airspeed suddenly decreased and the rate of descent increased, and the pilot added full power in order to arrest the descent. The airplane, however, impacted trees and the ground about 2,000 feet prior to the runway. The airplane bounced twice and then landed on the runway. During the landing roll, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway and came to rest in a grassy area. During the accident sequence, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings. The pilot reported there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach (IFR final approach)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 16, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 665 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 14, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550-N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FVX Farmville VA
- Destination: FVX Farmville VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 4,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 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.