Accident Overview
On March 11, 2013, at 1501 Pacific daylight time, a Cirrus SR20, registration N427GE, veered off the left side of runway 11 at Kern Valley Airport, Kernville, California, and came to rest inverted in a ditch. The airplane was owned by East Pole Aviation and operated by Justice Aviation under 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and two passengers sustained minor injuries; the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Bakersfield, California, at about 1438.
Pilot Statement
The pilot reported that during the landing flare with flaps fully extended (100%), the airplane drifted to the right, causing the right main landing gear to leave the runway surface. The pilot decided to execute a go-around. After adding power, the left main wheel contacted the runway, the airplane veered left, departed the left side of the runway, struck a ditch, and inverted. The pilot noted no mechanical malfunctions or failures prior to the accident on the NTSB Pilot/Operator Accident Report.
Flight Data Recorder Analysis
The Avidyne Primary Flight Display (PFD) was removed and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for data download. The PFD unit contains a solid-state ADAHRS and records altitude, airspeed, attitude, vertical speed, and heading using external pitot/static inputs. The data logging function stores maintenance, event, and flight data. The extracted data included the accident flight on March 11, 2013.
Key data points from the accident sequence:
- At 1501:24: roll 7° left, pitch 2° nose down, airspeed 69 knots.
- At 1501:28: roll 3° right, pitch 5° nose up, airspeed 66 knots.
- At 1501:30: propeller rpm 1,350, roll 2° left, pitch 2° nose up, airspeed 62 knots.
- Between 1501:30 and 1501:36: propeller rpm increased from 1,350 to 2,400. During this period, pitch increased from 2° to 12° nose up, roll increased to 9° left, airspeed decreased to 56 knots, and longitudinal acceleration began to increase by 1501:32. Magnetic heading changed from 351° to 327°.
- At 1501:38: pitch reached a maximum of 17° nose up at about 56 knots.
- Between 1501:38 and 1501:41: pitch decreased to 16° nose down, roll reached 31° right, then returned to 20° left.
- After 1501:41: vertical acceleration increased to full scale (value XYZ), left roll angle increased to 180° left, airspeed dropped to 0 knots.
Aircraft Performance Information
The Cirrus SR20 Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) lists stall speeds for a gross weight of 3,000 pounds. With flaps fully down (100%) and a 15° bank angle, the stall speed is between 55 and 57 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS).
The POH balked landing/go-around procedure specifies: 1. Autopilot – Disengage 2. Power Lever – FULL FORWARD 3. Flaps – 50% 4. Airspeed – Best Angle of Climb (81-83 KIAS) After obstacles are cleared: 5. Flaps – Up (0%)