Cirrus Design CORP SR22T incident near Bellevue, Washington, March 6, 2024
On March 6, 2024 at about 1:04 am local time, a 2013 Cirrus Design CORP SR22T, registered N927CS, suffered minor damage in an incident during initial climb near Bellevue, Washington (Renton Muni airport). It was an instructional 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to a fatigue fracture of the crankshaft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 2024 · about 1:04 am local time
- Place
- Bellevue, Washington · Renton Muni · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design CORP SR22T, built 2013
- Registration
- N927CS · registry record · serial 0496
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight crew reported that shortly after leveling off, the engine rpm surged a few times, followed by the sound of a loud bang and subsequent total loss of engine power. Unable to restart the engine, they successfully deployed the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) and descended under the parachute into a wooded wetland area adjacent to a residential neighborhood. Examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft was fractured between the No. 2 main bearing journal (M2) and the No. 3 connecting rod (C3) journal. Fretting was observed on the parting surface of the No. 2 main bearing saddle. The No. 2 main bearing saddle remained in place and was deformed, consistent with a rotating main bearing. Damage to the interior engine case was observed throughout. The crankshaft near the M2 journal and the No. 3 connecting rod journal was fracture separated. Metallurgical examination of the crankshaft fracture revealed fatigue cracking that initiated at multiple sites along the radius of the web with the C3 journal. As this crack propagated aftward, a second smaller fatigue crack began along the radius of the aft M2 bearing. It is likely that as the crack continued to grow in depth, it allowed the remainder of the crankshaft to fracture from overstress and subsequent failure. The postfracture damage was due to the fractured surfaces of the crankshaft, between the C3 and M2, that continued to make contact with each other during the accident sequence. Due to the damage to the M2 bearing, the No. 2 main bearing saddle, and the fracture surface of the crankshaft on the M2 bearing side, it could not be determined if bearing slippage was the initiating event. The fatigue fracture of the crankshaft likely led to the total loss of engine power.
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 engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: unmanned (suas)
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 14,500 as pilot in command; 14,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 10, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,693.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 16, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors TSIO-550-K1B (piston); 2,694 hours total
- Operator: Boeing Employees Flying Association
The flight
- Departed from: RNT Renton WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 5,382 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 9 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KRNT, 3 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KRNT 060053Z 33009KT 10SM CLR 07/M02 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP174 T00721017=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
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 WPR24FA103.