Incident Overview
During a simulated total loss of engine power, a Cirrus SR22 airplane impacted terrain on the airport. The flight was part of a four-day training curriculum for a new owner of the aircraft. The pilot, who held a private pilot certificate with a total time of 60.8 hours, had received that certificate about 1.5 months prior. He had obtained a high-performance airplane endorsement from the certified flight instructor (CFI) two days before the accident.
Sequence of Events
The simulated forced landing was conducted at the end of the training curriculum, which the pilot had extended from the normal three days to four. The pilot flew to an airport and entered a left downwind traffic pattern for runway 26. During the base-to-final turn, the pilot banked the airplane steeply. When the bank angle exceeded 30 degrees left, the CFI issued a verbal warning. The pilot then banked the airplane steeper. The stall horn activated, and the left wing dropped. The CFI took control to prevent the airplane from entering a spin and applied full power. The CFI reported that the airplane was losing altitude in the stall with alternating left and right wing drops. The airplane impacted terrain to the right of the approach end of runway 26.
Pilot and Aircraft Background
A passenger, who had previously flown the Cirrus SR22, commented on the difficulties of transitioning to the type. He noted challenges in maintaining airspeed, explaining that the Cirrus SR22 is not like a Cessna 172 because it accelerates quickly and does not provide an impending stall feel. He also stated that becoming accustomed to the electronics aboard the Cirrus SR22 is a significant amount of material to learn over three days.
Investigation
The accident sequence involved a stall during a steep turn in the traffic pattern. The CFI attempted to recover but could not prevent the aircraft from impacting terrain. No other information regarding the investigation outcome is available from the source.