Cirrus SR22 accident near Meadview, Arizona, October 25, 2006
On October 25, 2006 at about 7:08 pm local time, a Cirrus SR22, registered N121LD, was destroyed in an accident near Meadview, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate weather evaluation and continued flight into forecasted icing conditions. Contributing to the severity of the accident was the pilot's failure to follow proper operating procedures and deploy the CAPS when the airplane entered a spin. The flight service specialist's failure to follow published procedures to provide adverse weather or forecast potential hazardous conditions along the intended route of flight, as well as the air traffic controller's failure to provide the pilot with radar-displayed weather information were factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 25, 2006 · about 7:08 pm local time
- Place
- Meadview, Arizona
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus SR22 · all SR22s on the register
- Registration
- N121LD · no longer on the register · serial 1670
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot contacted a flight service station (FSS) specialist to file an instrument flight plan. He stated that he had onboard weather and did not need a weather briefing; however, the FSS specialist did not provide information about adverse weather conditions along the route of flight, as required by FAA directives. The pilot then departed on the cross-country flight. While en route to his destination, the pilot told the air traffic controller that he needed to deviate around weather. The air traffic controller was aware of thunderstorms along the pilot's route of flight, as well as an icing report north of his position. The air traffic controller did not advise the pilot of the known weather information, as required by FAA directives. The pilot continued and then stated that they had an emergency due to icing conditions. Meteorological conditions at the time of the accident showed that the pilot encountered rime/mixed icing of at least moderate intensity, in convection. Thunderstorms were in the area and turbulence was also possible. The airplane then stalled and entered a spin. There was no evidence that the pilot attempted to activate the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), although activation of the system is the only approved recovery of the airplane after its entry into a spin. Weather information transmitted to the airplane's onboard weather system contained weather forecasts of icing, turbulence, and thunderstorms. Whether or not the pilot reviewed this information could not be determined. Testing showed that a fluid line of the anti-icing system could disconnect at higher pressure; however, under normal system pressure the line stayed secured. No other mechanical anomalies were identified during the examinations.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 892 hours in all; 384 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 746 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 436.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2005; 436.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming IO-550-N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TVL S Lake Tahoe CA at 5:30 pm
- Destination: GCN Grand Canyon Np AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,400 ft; a few clouds at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 7:02 pm from GCN, 80 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.