Cirrus Design Corp. SR-22 accident near College Park, Maryland, January 22, 2004
On January 22, 2004 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cirrus Design Corp. SR-22, registered N344CD, was substantially damaged in an accident near College Park, Maryland (College Park Airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of hydraulic fluid due to chaffing of a brake line by a strut fairing rivet, resulting in the failure of the braking system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 22, 2004 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- College Park, Maryland · College Park Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design Corp. SR-22
- Registration
- N344CD · registry record · serial 0156
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the airplane touched down on the runway 15, the pilot applied the brakes and the left brake pedal did not respond. The airplane veered off the right side of the runway, proceeded into a grass area, where the left wing struck a VASI assembly before coming to rest upright. Examination of the airplane revealed a small hole in the left landing gear brake line. Further examination of the brake line revealed chafing marks created by a rivet, which was on a strut fairing bracket located adjacent to the brake line. During the airplane's most recent annual inspection, completed about 3 months prior to the accident, chafing was noted on the brake line, and the line was replaced. The strut fairing was installed on the airplane about 1 month prior to the accident. At the time of the strut fairing installation, no chaffing of the brake line was noted.
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: 890 hours in all; 420 in this make and model
- Last flight review: December 8, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 29, 2003; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ACY Atlantic City NJ at 2:30 pm
- Destination: CGS College Park MD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 15, 2,607 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 pm from DCA, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.