Cirrus SR20 accident near Sanford, Florida, July 25, 2018
On July 25, 2018 at about 9:10 pm local time, a 2007 Cirrus SR20, registered N482DA, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi near Sanford, Florida (Orlando Sanford Intl airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's failure to maintain an appropriate approach speed in crosswind conditions, which resulted in the airplane landing long on the wet runway and his subsequent loss of directional control when he attempted to exit the runway at high speed onto a taxiway, which resulted in the airplane subsequently colliding with three airplanes on the ramp.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 2018 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Sanford, Florida · Orlando Sanford Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus SR20 No Series, built 2007 · all SR20s on the register
- Registration
- N482DA · no longer on the register · serial 1824
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that, following simulated instrument flight instruction to a private pilot-rated student, he took the controls while on approach to the airport. He added that it had started to rain but that the runway was still visible. Before touchdown, the instructor kept the airplane in ground effect to reduce the airspeed, and the airplane touched down about halfway down the 3,578-ft-long runway, bounced twice, and touched down again. He then applied brakes, and the student "got the flaps up." After exiting the runway onto a taxiway, the instructor applied brakes, but the "airplane was still traveling too fast when [it] entered the ramp," and it veered slightly left of the taxiway centerline and struck three unoccupied airplanes on the ramp. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and left-wing spar box. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 200° at 16 knots, gusting to 23 knots; visibility was 1 statute mile; broken clouds at 3,900 ft; temperature 81°F; dew point 73°F; and heavy rain. The instructor landed the airplane on runway 27C.
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
- Ground collision during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- 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 › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Convective weather › Thunderstorm › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Wet surface › Effect on operation
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: 556.2 hours in all; 138.5 in this make and model; 138.5 in the last 90 days; 75.3 in the last 30 days; 356 as pilot in command; 149.6 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 25, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 86 hours in all; 11 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 27, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,606.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 14, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-ES (piston); 2,168 hours total
- Operator: Aerosim Academy Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: SFB Sanford FL
- Destination: SFB Sanford FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27C, 3,578 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 16 knots, gusting 23
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 9:07 pm from KSFB, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N482DA 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.