History of Flight
On January 31, 2022, at about 1256 central standard time, a Cirrus SR22, registration N227BD, was substantially damaged during an accident near Hutchinson, Minnesota. The flight instructor sustained serious injuries, and the private pilot was fatally injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight.
The purpose was to familiarize the pilot with the newly purchased airplane. After a thorough preflight, the aircraft departed Flying Cloud Airport (FCM) with 29.5 gallons of 100LL fuel added, verifying the fuel level up to the tabs (approximately 30 gallons per tank, 60 total). En route to the practice area, the flight instructor and pilot discussed engine failure and Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) procedures.
After practicing maneuvers, they proceeded to Hutchinson Municipal Airport – Butler Field (HCD) for a touch-and-go landing. On final approach at 80 knots with full flaps, the approach was slightly high, so the flight instructor directed a forward slip. As the airplane crossed the runway threshold, the airspeed decreased too much, causing a noticeable bounce on the main landing gear. The pilot initiated a go-around.
The pilot added power, reduced flaps to 50%, and established a climb. The airplane climbed slowly; at 80 knots, the instructor directed flap retraction. After flaps were up, the climb rate remained about 300 ft per minute. The airspeed was slightly above 85 knots, and an irregular vibrational shudder was felt. Upon reaching 500 ft above ground level, the instructor announced "CAPS available." The pilot handed over control. The instructor ensured full throttle, made a gradual turn toward an open field, leveled the wings at 1,600 ft MSL with airspeed in the 70s, and instructed the pilot to deploy the parachute. The instructor kept the airplane level until parachute straps tightened, then reduced throttle to idle, turned off the mixture, and made a mayday call. The airplane touched down in a field about 2 miles southeast of HCD.
Aircraft and Wreckage
The wreckage was confined to an open snow-covered field. The furthest piece was a propeller blade 400 ft away. The main wreckage came to rest upright with the lower forward fuselage and engine compartment crushed upward. The left wing remained attached; the rudder separated except at its lowest attach point. Flight control continuity was confirmed from wing roots to ailerons and from under aft seats to rudder and elevator. The flap handle was up, and the actuator screw was fully extended (flaps retracted). Fuel caps were present on both wings. No fuel was visible in the right fuel tank; blue staining from 100LL fuel was noted on the left wing underside. The fuel selector valve shaft was fractured, with the valve positioned between the right tank and off. The fire chief reported moving the valve to off after the accident. A small amount of fuel was present in both wing header tanks, and a strong fuel smell was reported. No other fuel system anomalies were found. The CAPS deployment appeared normal.
Flight Data and Engine Analysis
The airplane was equipped with a Recoverable Data Module (RDM) and Garmin G1000. Data from the RDM showed engine parameters decreasing as the airplane approached the airport at 1253:50. At 1254:17, GPS data indicated crossing the runway threshold; two seconds later, engine parameters increased for the go-around. Fuel flow initially rose to 23.7 gph then dropped below 13 gph, compared to 38 gph during the initial takeoff. Exhaust gas temperature (EGT) and cylinder head temperature (CHT) for cylinders 2, 4, and 6 diverged significantly. The stall warning sounded at 1256:04 and again at 1256:15, continuing for about 8 seconds until the CAPS handle was pulled. Engine parameters then decreased consistent with mixture leaning and throttle idle.
Medical and Toxicological Findings
An autopsy of the private pilot listed cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries. Toxicological testing detected citalopram (an antidepressant), minoxidil, and carvedilol in postmortem specimens. The pilot had reported no medication at his last aviation medical exam in June 2020 and had a history of Special Issuance for generalized anxiety disorder. Minoxidil and carvedilol are not generally considered impairing. Other substances (ketamine, norketamine, famotidine) were attributed to post-crash treatment.
Engine and Fuel Selector Tests
Two engine test runs were conducted with the recovered engine. It started and ran smoothly to 2,900 rpm with normal throttle response and magneto drops. Oil pressure stabilized at 65 psi. The oil pump housing was impact-damaged, causing a leak. The fuel selector valve was tested by Cirrus Aircraft when positioned between right tank and off; no appreciable change in fuel flow was noted compared to normal tank selection.