Incident Overview
On January 3, 2025, about 2338 mountain standard time, a Cirrus Design Corporation SF-50 airplane, registration N603AP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spearfish, South Dakota. The pilot and five passengers were not injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported an uneventful flight until landing. An air traffic controller advised that runway 13 at Black Hills Airport-Clyde Ice Field (SPF) had 1/8 inch of wet snow. The reported braking action was 5/5/5 (touchdown/midpoint/rollout), indicating good braking action with all runway portions wet, including snow. The pilot had the airport in sight from about 4 miles out and executed a straight-in approach to runway 13. He verified the landing gear was down and intended to touch down at the landing reference speed (Vref) to minimize braking. The autopilot was disconnected at 2 miles, and the airplane appeared aligned with the extended runway centerline.
During landing, approximately 8 to 10 feet above ground level (agl), an aerodynamic stall warning with stick shaker activated. The initial touchdown seemed normal, but the airplane then drifted left. The pilot's efforts to maintain directional control were unsuccessful. The airplane "lurched hard" when it impacted a snowbank along the left side of the runway. After coming to rest, the pilot shut down the engine and evacuated the airplane.
Passenger Account
A passenger seated behind the right (co-pilot) seat reported having a good view out of the windshield. He confirmed seeing the three green landing gear down lights during approach. He noted the airplane was slightly left of the runway centerline but aligned with it. After touchdown, the airplane quickly drifted left, the left wing caught a snowbank, and the airplane departed the left side of the runway. It came to rest with the nose perpendicular to and facing the runway. The passenger recalled that upon exiting, the wind was almost calm.
Post-Accident Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector responded the following day. The airplane had been moved to the ramp area. The right wing sustained substantial damage, including deformation and delamination of the wing structure, partial separation of the right aileron, and fuel tank damage. The left main landing gear was extended, the right main gear was retracted in the wheel well, and the nose landing gear was collapsed. When the right gear was extended after recovery, the tire remained on the wheel rim and appeared intact, but was flat.
The inspector observed runway wheel marks (compressed snow) from the accident airplane. The airplane touched down about 150 feet before the 1,000-foot / touchdown zone markers. At touchdown, the left main wheel was 6 to 8 feet from the left runway edge. The airplane departed the left side of the runway about 140 feet after touchdown. Snowbanks on each side were 2 to 3 feet high. The airplane struck two runway edge lights during the excursion.
Further examination and download of onboard data are pending.