On January 28, 2007, a Cirrus Design SR-22 (registration N221GW) was involved in an aviation accident near Siler City, NC. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to perform an aborted landing which resulted in an inflight collision with the runway. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot simulating an engine-out approach experienced a high sink rate, steep turn, and left wing strike, leading to a runway excursion over an embankment into a drainage ditch.
Incident Details
During a simulated engine-out approach, the pilot crossed the airport boundary and observed that the aircraft seemed to enter into a higher sink rate. Slight power was added, but a left turn to align with runway 22 was steeper than planned. The left wing lost lift and struck the runway. The airplane subsequently hit a taxiway embankment approximately 2 to 3 feet high, bounced over it, and continued into a swallow drainage ditch filled with large drainage rock.
Pilot Remarks
The pilot noted that the maneuver should be planned more thoroughly, with anticipation of aircraft performance in all configurations. He also recommended terminating the maneuver as quickly as possible if events warrant, rather than attempting to salvage it.