Cirrus Design CORP SR22 accident near Avalon, California, May 29, 2010
On May 29, 2010 at about 8:53 pm local time, a Cirrus Design CORP SR22, registered N314CP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Avalon, California (Catalina Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to achieve the proper touchdown point, which resulted in a runway overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 2010 · about 8:53 pm local time
- Place
- Avalon, California · Catalina Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design CORP SR22
- Registration
- N314CP · registry record · serial 3234
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he listened to the weather report at the airport prior to landing, which reported a slight tailwind on runway 22 that was in use by other airplanes in the traffic pattern. The pilot chose to land on runway 22 with a tailwind rather than changing runways to favor a headwind. In a phone conversation, the pilot stated that he landed "within the first couple hundred feet" of the runway at about 85 knots, using full flaps. He said that during the landing roll he overran the runway, resulting in the airplane exiting the end of the runway and coming to rest on a 45 degree downslope. The pilot stated that he "underestimated" the length of the runway due to the fact that the airplane was almost at max gross weight and there was a slight tailwind. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right aft main wing spar. According to the Avalon aviation weather report, at the time of the accident the wind was from 020 degrees at 5 knots. According to the Southwest U.S. Airport/Facility Directory, the accident runway 04/22 is 3,000-feet-long. The first 2,000 feet of runway 22 is sloped up 1.8%, and the rest of the runway is level. At maximum gross weight in the weather conditions of the airport at the time of the accident, the airplane had a calculated ground roll of about 1,250 feet, with a total landing distance of about 2,500 feet. Taking into account the 5 knot tailwind and the 1.69% upslope, this airplane's final ground roll was calculated to be about 1,300 feet, and the total landing distance was about 2,650 feet.
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
- Landing area overshoot during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Landing distance › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Response/compensation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Performance calculations › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,939 hours in all; 375 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 1,706 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 31, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 274 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 13, 2009; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550-N48B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KAJO Corona CA at 7:45 pm
- Destination: KAVX Avalon CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from AVX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
