Cirrus Design CORP SR20 accident near Louisburg, North Carolina, December 30, 2025
On December 30, 2025 at about 2:30 pm local time, a 2006 Cirrus Design CORP SR20, registered N506SR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Louisburg, North Carolina (Triangle North Exec 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to compensate for gusting crosswind conditions and subsequent loss of directional control following an aborted go-around attempt, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 2025 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Louisburg, North Carolina · Triangle North Exec · 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, built 2006
- Registration
- N506SR · no longer on the register · serial 1692
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the purpose of this flight was to perform closed-traffic pattern operations at the departure airport. Shortly after departure, the pilot noticed increased wind on the downwind leg and during the turn to final approach. Once on final approach, he initially flew at an indicated airspeed of 65 knots. The pilot then accelerated the airplane to 80 knots “to maintain control” and because “final approach was longer than usual, and the PAPIs [precision approach path indicators] indicated I was low.” He crossed the threshold left of the runway centerline, then at 15 to 20 ft above the runway, the pilot reduced engine power to idle. At the same time, he encountered a gust of wind and the airplane yawed to the left. The pilot attempted to perform a go-around, but touched down with the airplane’s nose pointed 20° to 25° left of the runway heading. He then reduced the engine power to idle and applied right brake to keep the airplane on the runway. The airplane continued to the left, departed the runway, and struck a lighting assembly for the precision approach path indicator. The airplane passed through an area of grass and impacted an embankment east of the runway. During the runway excursion, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 on ground during landing defining event
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach (VFR go-around)
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 108 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 10 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 28, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,487.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 6, 2025; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors IO-360-ES (piston); 2,502 hours total
- Operator: Mcknight Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: LHZ Louisburg NC at 2:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,498 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 9:35 am from LHZ
Weather report (METAR): METAR KLHZ 301435Z AUTO 28009G16KT 240V330 10SM CLR 00/M11 A3008 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA26LA081.