History of Flight
On October 20, 2017, at 1756 Pacific daylight time, a Cirrus Design Corp SR22T GTS airplane, N3636E, struck a ditch at the end of the runway following a rejected takeoff from San Carlos Airport, San Carlos, California. The private pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The cross-country flight had a planned destination of Santa Monica Municipal Airport, Santa Monica, California.
The pilot reported that the preflight inspection was uneventful. After startup, he noticed the engine was not running smoothly but was not concerned as the engine had a habit of vibrating slightly as it warmed up. He taxied to the runup area, performed preflight checks and engine runup. By then the engine was operating smoothly. The remaining checks were uneventful, including setting elevator trim for takeoff, checking flight controls, electrical load, fuel level, and autopilot status.
A short time later, he was cleared for takeoff. He began the takeoff roll and initiated rotation at about 75 to 77 knots. Immediately after becoming airborne, the airplane remained in ground effect longer than usual, during which he perceived a change in engine power. He did not look at engine instruments, but the airplane did not climb as expected. With runway remaining, he decided to abort. He reduced power then instinctively added power again to help the airplane settle. When he realized it would not be a full-length runway landing, he pulled the throttle back and applied full braking. The airplane passed beyond the runway threshold, into a ditch, and came to rest on the airport perimeter road, about 300 ft beyond the threshold.
The airplane's lap belt airbags deployed as it struck the ditch, and both occupants egressed unaided.
Personnel Information
The pilot was issued a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land on June 6, 2017. He held a third-class airman medical certificate issued in August 2016 with no limitations. He reported a total of 114 hours of flight time, with 22.3 as pilot in command, all in the accident make and model. His last flight review was for the private pilot checkride in a Cessna 172S.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was manufactured in 2017 and purchased new by the pilot about one month before the accident. It was equipped with a six-cylinder turbocharged Continental Motors Inc. TSIO-550-K1B engine and a Hartzell three-blade composite constant-speed propeller. The airplane had accrued 31.2 hours of flight at the time of the accident.
The airplane was equipped with a Cirrus Perspective integrated flight instrument system by Garmin, which recorded airframe and engine parameters at 1 Hz, including fuel flow, manifold pressure, engine speed, and exhaust and cylinder head temperatures. The system also included electronic checklists. The airplane also had a crash-hardened Recoverable Data Module (RDM) in the tail, recording critical systems and flight parameters at 1 Hz.
Accident Sequence Details
Data from the RDM and flight instrument system showed that electrical power was turned on at 1725:45, followed by the flap switch moving to 100% (fully extended) position. After about 20 minutes, the engine was started and the flap switch moved to 0% (UP). At 1749, the airplane taxied southeast along taxiway J, arriving at the runup area adjacent to runway 30 two minutes later. For 4 minutes, the airplane remained there as engine parameters rose consistent with an engine runup.
At 1755, the airplane taxied to runway 30 and lined up on the centerline within 40 seconds. It accelerated to 77 knots indicated airspeed after 1,000 ft. The nose pitched up from about 2° to 7°, remained for 3 seconds at about 83 knots, then dropped back to about 2°. After about 2,050 ft, the airplane veered left, passed the runway numbers at a maximum speed of 96.7 knots, then veered right while decelerating, exited the runway beyond the displaced threshold, crossed the grass overrun, passed through the ditch, and came to rest on the airport perimeter road.
During the takeoff roll, engine speed remained at 2,500 RPM, manifold pressure at 38 inches of mercury, and fuel flow at 42 gallons per hour. Exhaust gas temperatures were stable around 1,225°F. Up until the engine runup, EGT for cylinder 2 lagged others by almost 300°F, but stabilized after runup. The flap switch remained in the UP position from engine start through the accident.
Pilot's Operating Handbook Considerations
The SR22T Pilot's Operating Handbook states that normal and short field takeoffs are accomplished with flaps set at 50%. Takeoffs with flaps at 0% are permissible, but no performance data is available. Normal rotation speed with 50% flaps is 77 KIAS. The handbook recommends setting flaps to 100% during preflight inspection and walkaround, then retracting to 0% for taxi. The before takeoff checklist calls for 50% flaps selection and pilot check.
The pilot stated he used both the POH checklist and the electronic checklist, was not distracted, but could not recall specifically setting the flap position. He stated he performs takeoffs with flaps at 50% and has only used 0% flaps during training.
The takeoff ground roll distance at sea level, no wind, 20°C, and maximum gross weight of 3,600 lbs is 1,574 ft. At 2,900 lbs, it is 564 ft. The flaps 0% landing distance at maximum gross weight under same conditions is 1,465 ft; no data for lower gross weights.
Video Footage
A surveillance camera perpendicular to runway 12 captured video and audio of the final stages of the takeoff roll. As the airplane approached the runway numbers, it was on the ground, and a skidding sound accompanied with puffs of smoke from the main landing gear was heard. The airplane continued skidding out of the camera's field of view until a crashing sound was heard.