Cirrus Design CORP SR20 accident near Sedona, Arizona, May 12, 2026
On May 12, 2026 at about 11:50 pm local time, a 2013 Cirrus Design CORP SR20, registered N806DM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Sedona, Arizona (Sedona Airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inability to maintain directional control due to a plastic foreign object jammed in the rudder pedals, while landing with a gusting left crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 2026 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Sedona, Arizona · Sedona Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design CORP SR20, built 2013
- Registration
- N806DM · registry record · serial 2228
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while on the final leg of the traffic pattern at the destination airport, he applied left crosswind correction and noted that the right rudder pedal was stiff. When the main landing gear contacted the runway surface, the rudder pedal was stuck. The pilot attempted to maintain control of the airplane; however, the airplane yawed to the right and exited the runway surface. Subsequently, the left wing impacted an airport sign, which resulted in substantial damage. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing the airplane on runway 21 with the wind from 150° at 12 knots, gusting to 23 knots. Post accident examination revealed that a plastic foreign object was stuck in the right rudder pedal. The pilot added that during the flight, he observed a plastic foreign object bouncing around the cockpit earlier in the flight but was not sure what it was.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Miscellaneous/other during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: airship
- Flight time: 190 hours in all; 28.5 in this make and model; 90.3 in the last 90 days; 39.3 in the last 30 days; 115.7 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 24, 2026
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,519.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 5, 2026; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-ES (piston); 49,723 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FFZ Mesa AZ at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 5,132 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 12 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from KSEZ
Weather report (METAR): METAR KSEZ 122335Z AUTO 21012G23KT 180V240 10SM CLR 33/M05 A3010 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 WPR26LA187.