Accident Overview
On August 10, 2017, at about 1614 mountain daylight time, a Cirrus SR22T airplane, registration N702N, sustained substantial damage when it veered off the runway while landing at Raton Municipal Airport (RTN), Raton, New Mexico. The private pilot sustained minor injuries, and one passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was privately owned and operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The cross-country flight originated from the South Arkansas Regional Airport (ELD), El Dorado, Arkansas, with RTN as the destination.
Pilot's Account
The pilot reported checking weather conditions (METARs) at RTN hourly along the route. The METARs consistently showed winds from the south at no more than 7 knots. Approaching RTN, the pilot maneuvered around convective activity about 10 miles northwest of the airport. He canceled his IFR flight plan about 6 to 7 miles from RTN. Approximately 4 miles from the airport, a person from the fixed-base operator (FBO) radioed on UNICOM frequency, stating winds were 170° at 7 knots.
Landing Attempt
The airplane crossed the threshold of runway 20 at full flaps and 85 knots. About 15 feet from touchdown, the airplane began to sink rapidly. The pilot attempted to arrest the descent, but the airplane bounced on the runway and was pushed hard to the left side by the wind.
Go-Around and Consequences
The pilot initiated a go-around with full throttle and pulled back on the stick. The airplane climbed to about 15 to 20 feet, then the stall warning activated, the right wing stalled and dropped. The airplane struck an embankment off the right side of the runway and rolled onto its right side, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings.
Weather Information
After the accident, the pilot observed a weather monitor screen at the FBO that showed winds at 170° at 7 knots, but also indicated winds were 160° and variable to 230°. The windsock was fully extended down runway 20. The RTN METAR at 1612, about two minutes before the accident, reported winds at 180° at 12 knots. The pilot believed he experienced large wind shear and a tailwind shift just before touchdown.
Examination
No mechanical or flight control problems were reported by the pilot prior to the accident. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane after the accident and found no anomalies with the airframe or flight controls.