Cirrus Design Corp. SR-20 accident near Lexington, Kentucky, March 16, 2002
On March 16, 2002 at about 5:40 pm local time, a Cirrus Design Corp. SR-20, registered N244CD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lexington, Kentucky (Blue Grass airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Factors in this accident were the undetermined failure of the turn coordinator, as reported by the pilot, and the instrument meteorological conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 2002 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Lexington, Kentucky · Blue Grass · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design Corp. SR-20
- Registration
- N244CD · registry record · serial 1140
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instrument rated pilot and passenger departed into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and intended to practice some instrument approaches. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot reported a turn coordinator failure. The turn coordinator indicated a left bank regardless of control inputs and the pilot became disoriented. The airplane was equipped with a Cirrus Airplane Parachute System (CAPS). The pilot stated he pulled the CAPS activation handle repeatedly; however, the cable did not extend and "nothing seemed to happen." The airplane broke out of the cloud layer, and the pilot performed an emergency landing to a field. Witnesses near the accident site reported that the CAPS parachute deployed after ground contact. Post accident testing of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact instrumentation, or autopilot failures. The CAPS system also functioned normally; however, it was noted that the pull forces to activate the CAPS parachute varied significantly.
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: 371 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 254 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 3, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 257 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 165 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 19, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 0 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 6, 2001; 150 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-360ES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LEX Lexington KY at 5:35 pm
- Destination: LEX KY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 4, 7,003 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from LEX, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 NYC02LA071.