Cirrus Design CORP SR22T accident near Lake Elsinore, California, December 23, 2025
On December 23, 2025 at about 10:55 pm local time, a 2015 Cirrus Design CORP SR22T, registered N272HM, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Lake Elsinore, California (John Wayne/Orange County airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s intentional deployment of the airframe parachute system due to task-saturation in instrument meteorological conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 2025 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Elsinore, California · John Wayne/Orange County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design CORP SR22T, built 2015
- Registration
- N272HM · registry record · serial 1079
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the airplane reported that during a cross-country flight, on an instrument flight rules flight plan, the controller issued several heading changes and a clearance to climb to 7,000 ft mean sea level, which placed the airplane in instrument meteorological conditions. While en route, the controller issued additional instructions to join an airway; however, the pilot anticipated joining a different airway and queried the controller. The controller responded that the airway the pilot should have joined was now behind their position. The pilot became confused and realized he had misunderstood instructions earlier in the flight but continued to fly his anticipated route instead of the corrected clearance. The controller advised the pilot to turn immediately due to terrain. The pilot disconnected the autopilot and manually turned the airplane in accordance with the controller’s instructions. During the turn, the airplane pitched nose-down and the pilot had difficulty controlling the pitch. The pilot elected to deploy the airframe parachute system due to his concerns about the terrain, difficulty controlling the airplane, and the perceived urgency in the voice of the controller. The parachute successfully deployed and the airplane descended under the parachute, until it came to rest upright on rocky, sloped terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Emergency descent initiated during enroute
- Loss of control in flight during enroute defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Understanding/comprehension › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Cognitive limitation › Cognitive overload › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 714 hours in all; 547 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 524 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 24, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 848.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 19, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-550-K (piston); 848 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SNA Santa Ana CA at 10:40 pm
- Destination: PSP Palm Springs CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 20L, 2,886 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,500 ft; a few clouds at 200 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 2:01 pm from KSNA, 22 miles away
Weather report (METAR): SPECI KSNA 232201Z 14005KT 10SM FEW002 FEW019 OVC065 16/12 A2995 RMK AO2 VIRGA OHD T01610122=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of accident airplane
Photograph 2 – View of accident airplane after recovery
Photograph 3 – View of fractured fuselageThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 13, 2026. 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.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 14 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.