Cirrus SR22 accident near Church Hill, Maryland, April 21, 2016
On April 21, 2016 at about 2:00 am local time, a 2016 Cirrus SR22, registered N27ML, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Church Hill, Maryland (Private Airstrip airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to land on an unlighted grass airstrip at night, resulting in landing long, a loss of directional control, and collapsed landing gear producing substantial damage to the landing gear attachment point and left wing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 2016 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Church Hill, Maryland · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus SR22 T, built 2016 · all SR22s on the register
- Registration
- N27ML · registry record · serial 1269
- 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, he was landing on a remote, unlighted, airstrip at night, and reported that on approach he had remained high for obstacle clearance. He reported that upon touchdown he immediately applied maximum braking, and the airplane started to slow. However, the end of the runway was approaching rapidly and he believed that a runway overrun was imminent. He reported that he released the left brake input and held the right brake input in an attempt to turn the airplane to the right; aiming for an open field. He recalled that the airplane turned to the right, exited the runway, rotated to the right while skidding, and the left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left main landing gear attachment point and a left wing rib. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies or malfunctions with any portion of the airplane that would have prevented normal flight operations.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (landing roll)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › Airport lighting › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 377 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 377 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 3, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 32 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-550-K (piston); 32 hours total
- Operator: Ham Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: SBY Salisbury MD at 1:35 am
- Destination: PVT Church Hill MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,900 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 1:58 am from KDOV, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 GAA16CA251.