Cirrus SR-22 accident near North Las Vegas, Nevada, November 27, 2019
On November 27, 2019 at about 1:30 am local time, a 2001 Cirrus SR-22, registered N7GA, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near North Las Vegas, Nevada (North Las Vegas airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain during cruise flight in dark night conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 27, 2019 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- North Las Vegas, Nevada · North Las Vegas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus SR-22, built 2001 · all SR-22s on the register
- Registration
- N7GA · no longer on the register · serial 00015
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight with two passengers during dark night conditions. Prior to the flight, the pilot had filed and subsequently activated a VFR flight plan from his point of departure to his intended destination. As the pilot neared his intended destination, he contacted Nellis Air Traffic Control Facility and reported his altitude of 6,500 ft and that he had the weather at his destination airport. He also requested a practice instrument landing system (ILS) approach. The controller acknowledged the request and advised the pilot to expect the ILS approach. Throughout the following 7 minutes, the controller issued various heading changes to the pilot due to departing traffic at a nearby Air Force base, which the pilot acknowledged. The controller then issued the pilot a left turn to a westerly heading and informed the pilot that altitude was his discretion, which the pilot acknowledged. About 1 minute, 54 seconds later, the pilot transmitted “we’re getting a low altitude alert for N7GA, we gotta turn left.” Shortly after, the controller instructed the pilot to “turn left heading 250°,” which the pilot acknowledged. No further communications from the pilot were received despite multiple attempts from the controller. Throughout this timeframe, recorded radar data showed the airplane at an altitude of 6,500 ft msl. The airplane impacted mountainous terrain at an elevation of 6,500 ft msl, about 400 ft below the peak. The wreckage was fragmented and mostly consumed by fire. Examination revealed no anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the pilot had some sort of terrain awareness warning available; however, it was undetermined what type of system it was. While the pilot reported that he received a “low altitude alert” from an unknown source about 22 seconds before the last radar target, it’s likely that the pilot did not have sufficient time to maneuver to avoid terrain.
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
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Not specified
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 446.7 hours in all; 123.6 in this make and model; 35.5 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 27, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550-N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lake Havasu AZ
- Destination: VGT North Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
18 documents, released by the NTSB on February 16, 2022. 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.
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N7GA 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.