Cirrus Design Corp. SR-22 accident near Stuart, Florida, February 4, 2006
On February 4, 2006 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cirrus Design Corp. SR-22, registered N667WP, was destroyed in an accident near Stuart, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and impact with the water. Contributing to the accident were a reported instrument failure, pilot disorientation, and instrument meteorological conditions. A factor in the severity of the impact was the pilot's failure to deploy the airplane's onboard parachute system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 2006 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Stuart, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design Corp. SR-22
- Registration
- N667WP · no longer on the register · serial 0341
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane took off at 1556. Approach Control observed the airplane in a turn. At 1559, one of the pilots reported they were having trouble with their instruments, and requested clearance to return to the airport. This was the last communication with the flight. Radar contact was lost at 1600. Both the pilot and his wife were instrument rated. The airplane was instrument equipped and certified for instrument flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. The wreckage was located in the ocean approximately 3 miles offshore at a depth of 60 feet. The memory device recovered from the MFD was damaged to the extent that no data could be extracted. Engine examination revealed no anomalies. Examination of the CAPS rocket motor indicated it had fired when the airplane struck the water. This broke the activation cable and put pressure on the igniter spring. Water resistance, however, kept the parachute from deploying.
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: 648 hours in all; 293 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 641 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 487 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-560-N7 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUA Stuart FL at 8:56 pm
- Destination: SGJ St. Augustine FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 11 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 8:47 pm from SUA, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.