Cirrus SR20 accident near Santa Barbara, California, November 6, 2009
On November 6, 2009 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cirrus SR20, registered N702TM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Santa Barbara, California (Santa Barbara Muni Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing and porpoise pilot induced oscillation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 6, 2009 · about 9:00 pm local time · cases in 2009
- Place
- Santa Barbara, California · Santa Barbara Muni Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus SR20 NO SERIES · all SR20s on the register
- Registration
- N702TM · registry record · serial 1649
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane landed hard and porpoised down the runway. On the third bounce, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane slid off the runway. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 132 hours in all; 132 in this make and model
- Last flight review: October 31, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: N702Tm LLC
The flight
- Departed from: VGT North Las Vegas NV at 6:30 pm
- Destination: SBA Santa Barbara CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 15L, 4,178 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from SBA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on December 14, 2009. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Record of Conversation Bruce Familian (Pilot) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N702TM on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cirrus SR20 1,633 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors IO-360 32 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Santa Barbara Municipal · nearest airport
- North Las Vegas Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,096 in the last ten years
- California 28,134 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR10CA054.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.