Flight History
On May 24, 2019, at about 1116 mountain daylight time, a Cirrus SR22 airplane, registration N809SR, was destroyed when it impacted terrain near Grover, Utah. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
The airplane departed Canyonlands Field Airport (CNY), Moab, Utah, at about 1042. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot contacted air traffic control and activated an instrument flight rules flight plan to Henderson Executive Airport (HND), Las Vegas, Nevada, with an assigned cruise altitude of 14,000 ft mean sea level. At about 1111, the pilot requested a climb to 16,000 ft msl, which was the last communication received. Radar data indicated the airplane climbed from 13,900 ft to 14,500 ft at an average rate of 300 ft per minute and groundspeed of 111 knots, then decelerated to 95 knots. Subsequently, the airplane descended from 14,500 ft to 14,000 ft at an average rate of 833 ft per minute and groundspeed of 81 knots, with the descent rate increasing to 2,000 ft per minute at 64 knots groundspeed. Radar contact was lost at 1116.
Witnesses reported hearing the airplane, then observing it in a nose-down, corkscrew descent behind a hillside, followed by an explosion and smoke. Data from the Avidyne multifunction display indicated the engine was producing power throughout the flight, with consistent cylinder head and exhaust gas temperatures, fuel flow, oil temperature, and oil pressure.
Meteorological Conditions
The National Weather Service had issued an AIRMET Zulu for moderate icing conditions from about 7,000 ft to 21,000 ft msl, valid for the accident area at the time. A High Resolution Rapid Refresh model sounding over the site showed a freezing level of 9,755 ft msl and a cloud layer with bases at 10,860 ft msl and tops near 15,000 ft msl, with a greater than 90% probability of moderate rime-to-mixed icing. The sounding also indicated mean vertical motion of 8 to 14 meters per second, favoring supercooled large droplet formation near the cloud tops, and a high probability of moderate turbulence from strong vertical wind shear.
GOES-17 visible imagery showed cumulus to cumulus congestus clouds with vertical development over the flight track and accident site, supporting the potential for larger supercooled water droplets and enhanced icing potential. Weather radar displayed scattered light-to-moderate intensity echoes (25-35 dBZ) with most at 10-15 dBZ. The airplane's flight track, overlaid on radar imagery, indicated it passed through a small cell with maximum reflectivity of 25.5 dBZ just before radar contact was lost.
Two other aircraft operating at similar altitudes reported encountering light clear-to-mixed icing conditions before and after the accident. The pilot had filed the IFR flight plan through ForeFlight and received a route briefing that included an advisory about potential icing along the route.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane impacted remote mountainous terrain, leaving a debris field about 330 ft long oriented on a magnetic heading of 217°. The aircraft was heavily fragmented and scattered perpendicular to a cliffside. Flight control continuity was established throughout the airframe, with elevator and rudder controls continuous. The aileron control cable exhibited fracture separations at the control panel and actuation pulley, both consistent with overload. The TKS icing protection system, which was not certified for flight into known icing, was found fragmented and scattered.
The engine separated from the airframe and came to rest about 211 ft from the initial impact crater. Several components were fracture separated. The crankcase showed impact damage but no signs of catastrophic failure. The crankshaft was bent just aft of the propeller flange, and the crankshaft gear displayed normal operating signatures. All six cylinders remained attached, with right-side cylinders more damaged. Borescope examination of cylinder bores, piston faces, and valve heads showed normal operating signatures. The fuel pump rotated freely and residual fuel was pumped. Spark plugs and oil filter (with no metallic material) exhibited normal signatures. The propeller assembly remained attached with three blade shanks secured to the hub. Postaccident examination revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed by the Utah Department of Health Office of the Medical Examiner determined the pilot's cause of death as "multiple injuries." Forensic toxicology by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory detected cetirizine in the pilot's specimens, which is not considered a hazard to flight safety.