Cirrus Design CORP SR20 accident near Sanford, Florida, February 27, 2024
On February 27, 2024 at about 11:22 pm local time, a 2007 Cirrus Design CORP SR20, registered N485DA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Sanford, Florida (Orlando Sanford Intl airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and the flight crew’s mismanagement of the available fuel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 2024 · about 11:22 pm local time
- Place
- Sanford, Florida · Orlando Sanford Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design CORP SR20, built 2007
- Registration
- N485DA · registry record · serial 1830
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was returning from a local training flight when the accident occurred. The pilot receiving instruction was flying a practice instrument approach and after removing the view-limiting device he noticed that the airplane’s altitude was low on the approach path. The flight instructor ultimately took control of the airplane and added engine power. The airplane continued to sink, and the flight instructor began to manipulate the throttle, but sensed that the airplane was no longer producing engine power. He stated that he verified the fuel selector placement, though he could not remember which position the fuel selector was in, and that the mixture lever was in the full rich position. Shortly after, the airplane impacted an unoccupied airplane short of the runway and came to rest on a grassy area adjacent to the airport ramp. A postaccident examination of the airplane’s engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, the airplane’s right fuel tank contained ¼ of a gallon of fuel and was not breached. The fuel selector was found in the right-tank position. A review of data recovered from the airplane’s avionics showed a decrease in fuel flow and subsequent loss of engine power about 1 minute before the airplane impacted the terrain. Based on this information, it is most likely that the fuel supply in the airplane’s right wing was exhausted during the landing approach, which resulted in the loss of engine power as the flight instructor attempted to add power to correct the airplane’s descent path.
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 with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Fuel starvation during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Flight crew
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 70 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: January 23, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 567 hours in all; 349 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 451 as pilot in command; 298 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 11, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,390 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 17, 2024; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Aerospace Technolo IO-360-ES (piston); 2,634 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Aerosim Academy INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09C, 3,578 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from SFB
Weather report (METAR): KSFB 272253Z 14011KT 10SM CLR 23/13 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP190 T02280133
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
27 documents, released by the NTSB on March 5, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.