Cirrus Design CORP SR22 accident near Salina, Utah, July 14, 2012
On July 14, 2012 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cirrus Design CORP SR22, registered N86AA, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Salina, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The noninstrument-rated pilot’s continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a subsequent loss of airplane control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 2012 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Salina, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design CORP SR22
- Registration
- N86AA · no longer on the register · serial 1131
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The noninstrument-rated pilot departed on a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-county flight. Recorded radar data indicated that the airplane was in level flight at 13,300 feet mean sea level (msl) during about the last 30 minutes of the flight. The last 2 minutes of the radar data showed the airplane making a slow climbing turn to an altitude of 14,200 feet msl. The last radar returns showed the airplane making a sharper left turn at 13,500 feet msl before radar contact was lost. The accident site was located 1.5 nautical miles southeast of the last radar return at an elevation of 7,928 feet msl. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane collided with trees and mountainous terrain in a steep nose-down attitude. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. It could not be determined if the pilot obtained a weather briefing for the flight. The most recent pilot report before the accident indicated cloud bases at 9,000 feet in the accident area. Weather returns depicted light-intensity echoes over the route of flight consistent with reduced visibility in light rain and extensive vertically developed clouds. Therefore, although weather conditions at the departure and destination airports were VFR, available weather information indicates that the accident airplane likely encountered instrument meteorological and mountain obscuration conditions en route. Given the weather conditions in the area and the altitude and course changes made in the few minutes before the accident, it is likely that the pilot became spatially disorientated and subsequently lost airplane control.
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
- VFR encounter with IMC during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Flight planning/navigation › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Spatial disorientation › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Below VFR minima › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 600.5 hours in all; 483.7 in this make and model; 7.5 in the last 90 days; 1.2 in the last 30 days; 483.7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 589 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 27, 2011
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550 SERIES (piston); 589 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CCR Concord CA
- Destination: ASE Aspen CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft; a few clouds at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 am from PUC, 56 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N86AA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.