History of Flight
On September 11, 2009, at approximately 0715 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus SR-22, N922XX, was destroyed when it impacted terrain while maneuvering after takeoff at Rock Hill Airport (UZA), Rock Hill, South Carolina. The certificated private pilot was killed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local flight, which was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The airplane was owned by the pilot through a limited liability company and based at UZA. According to the pilot's wife, the pilot normally flew with a copilot, who was also a certificated flight instructor (CFI). On September 7, 2009, the pilot, his wife, and the CFI flew to Teterboro Airport (TEB), New Jersey. The pilot and CFI returned to UZA on September 9, 2009, and planned to return to TEB on September 13, 2009. The pilot's wife stated that the purpose of the accident flight was for the pilot to practice takeoffs and landings by himself.
A witness located at the UZA airport terminal observed the airplane depart from runway 2, a 5,500-foot-long, 100-foot-wide asphalt runway. After takeoff, the airplane made a shallow right turn and disappeared from his view. The witness and another individual both stated that they did not hear any communications from the pilot over the airport's common traffic advisory frequency.
A third witness, who lived near the airport, reported hearing a loud engine noise, looked up, and observed an airplane in a vertical (90-degree bank) left turn. It was traveling fast and the engine sounded like it was at full throttle. The airplane disappeared below the tree line, followed by the sound of a muffled boom and rising smoke.
Personnel Information
The pilot, aged 49, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. According to FAA records, he received his private pilot certificate on November 21, 2008.
Review of the pilot's logbook revealed entries from March 16, 2008, through August 22, 2009, for approximately 368 hours of total flight experience, of which about 333 hours were logged as dual received. All flights in the accident airplane, except for a 1.4-hour flight on July 15, 2009, included a flight instructor onboard. It was estimated that at the time of the accident, the pilot had accumulated about 390 hours of total flight experience, all in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
The pilot's most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on February 21, 2008.
Aircraft Information
The four-seat, low-wing, fixed-gear airplane, serial number 3455, was manufactured in 2009. It was constructed primarily of composite materials and equipped with a Teledyne Continental Motors IO-550-N, 310-horsepower engine.
According to an FAA bill of sale, the airplane was purchased new by the pilot through a limited liability company in June 2009.
Maintenance records indicated that the airplane had undergone a 50-hour inspection on August 26, 2009, about 40 hours prior to the accident. At the time of the accident, the airplane had been operated for approximately 93 hours since new.
Meteorological Information
A weather observation taken at UZA, elevation 666 feet mean sea level, at 0705 reported wind from 020 degrees at 4 knots, visibility 9 statute miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, temperature 16 degrees Celsius, dew point 14 degrees Celsius, and altimeter 30.20 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane initially impacted the ground about 100 feet below the top of a 20-degree slope, about 150 feet from taxiway B, and 255 feet right of the extended centerline of runway 20. The airplane was destroyed by fire and impact forces. Fragments of the right wingtip were located near the initial impact point. A debris path, oriented on a 160-degree magnetic heading, extended for about 400 feet. Evidence of burnt terrain was observed on the left and right side of the debris path, on an embankment leading up to the taxiway.
The airplane was equipped with a Cirrus Airplane Parachutes System (CAPS). The parachute assembly was observed deployed along the debris path; however, examination was consistent with activation due to impact forces.
Both wings and all control surfaces were separated and strewn along the debris path, along with the majority of the fuselage structure. The main wreckage was located 205 feet from the initial point of impact and consisted of a top portion of the fuselage from the b-pillar aft to the forward side of the CAPS enclosure. A portion of the fuselage station 222 bulkhead was also located with the main wreckage.
The roll trim motor was observed in an approximate neutral position. The flap actuator corresponded to the flaps up position.
All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site.
The engine and engine cowling assembly separated from the airframe and came to rest about 70 feet from the initial impact point. The engine remained attached to the firewall via control cables and exhibited extensive impact and fire damage. Portions of the No. 1 and No. 5 cylinder head assemblies were separated. The majority of engine accessories, including both magnetos, the oil filter, the oil cooler, and both turbochargers, were separated from the engine.
A borescope inspection of all engine cylinders did not reveal any preimpact failures. The No. 1 cylinder was impact damaged and the exhaust valve seat was separated from the cylinder head. After removing several components, including the No. 1 cylinder, the engine was rotated via the crankshaft propeller flange. Thumb compression and valve train continuity were established on cylinders No. 2, 3, 4, and 6, but could not be established on cylinders No. 1 and No. 5 due to impact damage. The fuel pump remained attached to the engine and did not exhibit any preimpact failures. Both magnetos were separated from their mounting locations and sustained impact and fire damage.
The propeller hub remained attached to the engine and exhibited impact damage. All three composite propeller blades were separated from the hub and displayed impact damage with leading edge polishing and chordwise scratching.
The airplane was equipped with a Garmin Perspective cockpit instrumentation system and a remote data module (RDM). The RDM, a crash-hardened unit installed in the tail intended to record flight, engine, and autopilot parameters, was located in the debris path and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for download.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed on the pilot on September 11, 2009, at Piedmont Medical Center, Rock Hill, South Carolina, indicated the cause of death as multiple traumatic sharp and blunt force injuries secondary to the plane accident.
Toxicological testing by the FAA Bioaeronautical Science Research Laboratory was negative for alcohol and positive for metoprolol detected in the pilot's liver and kidney.
The pilot's most recent application for a second-class airman medical certificate noted a history of high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome, and the use of medications including omeprazole, atorvastatin, benazepril, metoprolol, aspirin, and metformin. No other medications or conditions were noted, and the application specifically indicated no to mental disorders, hospital admission, or other illness, disability, or surgery. Height and weight were noted as 74 inches and 248 pounds, blood pressure 124/72.
A previous application for a third-class medical certificate was dated November 13, 1992. Review of primary care records indicated additional diagnoses prior to the most recent medical application: attention deficit disorder (with prior use of amphetamine/dextroamphetamine), depression (with prior use of bupropion and fluoxetine), anxiety (with hospitalization in 2001 and use of clonazepam), and ENT surgery in 2006 for severe snoring (with no indication of a sleep study). The pilot's weight on a February 10, 2009, physician visit was noted as 265 pounds.
Tests and Research
The RDM was successfully downloaded by an NTSB Vehicle Recorder Specialist. Examination revealed that it recorded about 90 hours of data, including the accident flight, logged once per second.
Review of the data for the accident flight showed that the pilot began takeoff at about 0712:11, advancing engine rpm to about 2700 rpm. The airplane proceeded on a heading of about 020 degrees magnetic, consistent with runway 2. Takeoff rotation occurred at 74 knots. At 0712:31, the airplane began a slight right turn lasting about 35 seconds, varying from about 5 to 8 degrees of right roll, with a peak of about 17 degrees. During the turn, airspeed and altitude continued to increase. At 0713:06, at an altitude of 1,051 feet msl (about 385 feet agl) and a speed of about 133 knots, the right turn transitioned into a left turn. By 0713:15, the roll attitude reached 46 degrees left wing down. At about the same time, the airplane reached its maximum altitude of 1,241 feet msl (about 575 feet agl). Over the next 20 seconds, the turn continued at about the same roll attitude (40-50 degrees left wing down) with pitch remaining relatively level (within about 2 degrees up or down) as speed increased to 158 knots. At 0713:34, pitch attitude began to decrease toward a peak of 10 degrees nose down. At 0713:40, roll attitude began a sharp change toward the right, reaching about 70 degrees right wing down by the end of the recorded data. The last recorded data points included: engine 2,687 RPM, heading 165 degrees magnetic, indicated airspeed 184 knots, pitch attitude 5 degrees nose down, roll attitude 69 degrees right wing down, vertical speed 2,064 feet per minute downward, corrected altitude 784 feet msl. The stall warning parameter indicated off (not stalled) for the duration of the flight.