Cirrus Design CORP SR20 accident near San Diego, California, November 5, 2022
On November 5, 2022 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 2020 Cirrus Design CORP SR20, registered N700YZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near San Diego, California (Montgomery-Gibbs Exec airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s exceedance of the critical angle of attack during a go-around, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain following a non-stabilized approach to land.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 5, 2022 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · Montgomery-Gibbs Exec · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design CORP SR20, built 2020
- Registration
- N700YZ · registry record · serial 2599
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot was conducting pattern work at the accident airport. Video footage from around the airport as well as witness statements showed the accident airplane overfly the runway at a low altitude and high rate of speed. While over the runway the airplane made several pitch up and down oscillations and, when it neared the departure end of the runway, the airplane pitched up and entered into a steep right roll, followed by the nose dropping and the airplane impacting the ground. Review of recorded communication at the accident airport revealed that when the accident airplane was on final approach to land, the controller instructed the accident pilot to sidestep to the left and go around. There was no response from the accident pilot, and the controller repeated the instruction to go around, without a response. During this timeframe, a radio transmission about a trim problem, thought to be from the accident pilot, was heard on frequency. It is likely that while on final approach to land, with the airplane’s flaps at 50%, and the airplane’s indicated air speed reaching 140 knots, the increased camber from flap deflection increased lift, primarily on the rear portion of the wing and produced a nose-down pitching moment which may have caused the airplane to pitch down. However, with no change in the airplane’s trim position, it mistakenly led the pilot to believe there was a malfunction with the trim, which resulted in the pitch oscillations observed in the witness-provided video and the recoverable data module (RDM). Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. A review of the RDM data showed that while on final approach to land, the indicated flap position changed from 100% to the 50% position and the airplane’s airspeed continued to increase gradually, reaching a maximum of 140 knots indicated. The recorded data showed that, when the airplane was near the departure end of the runway, with an indicated air speed of 125 knots, the airplane pitched up 20° and banked 13°. The airplane then entered a steep right roll, the electronic stability and protection (ESP) system activated in roll mode as the airplane exceeded a 20° pitch down attitude and 70° bank, the stall warning sounded, and the recording ended. The student pilot likely exceeded the airplane’s critical angle of attack during a turn, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and an impact with 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
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR go-around)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR go-around)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 83 hours in all; 64.4 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,147.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 2022; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,150 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-390-C3B6 (piston); 818 hours total
- Operator: Coast Air Center
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28R, 4,598 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from KMYF
Weather report (METAR): KMYF 051853Z VRB05KT 10SM CLR 22/01 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP174 T02220011
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR23FA027.