Cirrus Design CORP SR20 accident near Redington, Arizona, March 10, 2026
On March 10, 2026 at about 9:17 pm local time, a 2025 Cirrus Design CORP SR20, registered N619AV, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Redington, Arizona. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper decision to continue the flight into icing conditions, which resulted in the accumulation of airframe icing and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 2026 · about 9:17 pm local time
- Place
- Redington, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design CORP SR20, built 2025
- Registration
- N619AV · registry record · serial 10884
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while en route on a cross-country flight operating under instrument flight rules (IFR) at 11,000 ft mean sea level (msl), she was cleared by air traffic control (ATC) to deviate from her planned route as necessary to remain clear of developing clouds. She continued to monitor weather conditions via the multifunction display (MFD) and was aware of light to moderate precipitation developing along the route; however, she elected to continue the flight. Shortly thereafter, the controller cleared the pilot to climb to 12,000 ft msl to maintain cloud clearance. During the climb, the airplane encountered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), which included moderate precipitation, and the pilot began to observe indications of airframe icing. Concerned about potential degradation in aircraft performance, she requested a descent to a lower altitude while continuing along the planned route of flight. During the descent, an airspeed annunciation activated, prompting the pilot to disengage the autopilot and manually control the airplane. As the descent continued, rime ice rapidly accumulated on the airframe. Subsequently, both the stall warning horn and stick shaker activated. At approximately 9,500 ft msl, the controller issued a low-altitude alert and instructed the pilot to climb immediately. The pilot responded by pitching up to initiate a climb; however, the airplane experienced an aerodynamic stall. After having descended about 2,000 ft, the pilot activated the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS). The airplane descended under parachute and impacted terrain, resulting in substantial damage to the right elevator and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. According to the airplane’s flight manual, “Flight into known icing conditions is prohibited.”
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
- Structural icing during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,439.3 hours in all; 1,384.8 in this make and model; 167.9 in the last 90 days; 44.5 in the last 30 days; 1,320.5 as pilot in command; 959.6 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 3, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 463.2 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, March 10, 2026; 53.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,150 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-390-C3B6 (piston); 463 hours total
- Operator: Westwind School Of Aeronautics Phoenix LLC DBA
The flight
- Departed from: KELP El Paso TX at 7:06 pm
- Destination: KGYR Goodyear AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KTUS, 38 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KTUS 102053Z 31010G16KT 10SM BKN038 OVC070 16/08 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP169 T01610078 50002=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N619AV the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 WPR26LA126.