Accident Overview
On March 15, 2009, about 1343 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus Design Corp. SR22, registration N213CP, was substantially damaged after deploying its Cirrus Airplane Parachute System (CAPS) shortly after takeoff from Montgomery County Airpark (GAI) in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the flight destined for Battle Creek International Airport (AZO) in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
Flight Events
The airplane departed from runway 32, a 4,202-foot-long asphalt runway. During initial climb, as the airplane entered clouds between 700 and 1,000 feet msl, the passenger side door opened 2 to 3 inches, allowing rain, cold air, and increased noise into the cockpit. The pilot reported becoming spatially disoriented, causing attitude variations. He stabilized the airplane and intended to return to GAI. While maneuvering in and out of clouds, the airplane stalled and began to spin. The pilot could not recall airspeed or altitude but pressed the level button and then deployed the CAPS.
The airplane descended, with the left wing striking a parked vehicle before coming to rest on a road about half a mile west of the airport. The left wing was fractured, and the empennage separated forward of the horizontal stabilizer.
Examination by an FAA inspector, including the passenger door locking mechanism, revealed no mechanical malfunctions. The pilot also stated no mechanical issues occurred during the flight.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The SR22, serial number 3142, received a standard airworthiness certificate on July 18, 2008, and was purchased new by the pilot through a corporation in August 2008. At the time of the accident, it had about 120 hours of operation. The pilot, aged 64, held a private pilot certificate with single-engine land and instrument airplane ratings. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued September 12, 2008. He reported 327 total flight hours, including 161 in the same make/model, with about 7 hours actual and 63 hours simulated instrument experience. He had previously owned another SR22 equipped with an Avidyne cockpit system.
Weather and System Details
A weather observation at GAI at 1335 reported calm winds, visibility 2 miles, overcast clouds at 400 feet, temperature 4°C, dew point 3°C, altimeter 30.21 inHg. The pilot recalled the cloud layer as slightly higher than 800 feet.
The airplane was equipped with a Garmin Perspective cockpit instrumentation system and a remote data module (RDM) that recorded engine and flight parameters. The RDM data showed takeoff at 1339:35, roll excursions began at 1340:00, pitch excursions at 1341:50, autopilot level mode engagement at 1342:06, stall warning at 1342:08, and CAPS deployment at 1342:18. The autopilot disengaged when the stall warning activated, as designed.
The Cirrus Perspective Pilot’s Guide described Level Mode as coupling pitch and roll, engaging autopilot, rolling wings level, and maintaining attitude for level flight without tracking altitude or heading. A Cirrus representative noted the LVL button would not engage or would disengage if the stall warning system activated. The POH supplement at the time stated the LVL button commands zero bank and zero vertical speed; it was revised on August 26, 2009, to include the stall warning limitation.