Incident Overview
On July 7, 2025, at approximately 1330 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus SR22T, registration N5656M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sanford, North Carolina. The private pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Flight History
According to preliminary flight track data, the airplane departed from Merritt Island Airport (COI), Merritt Island, Florida, at 1103, with a destination of Raleigh Executive Jetport (TTA) in Sanford, North Carolina. Preliminary ADS-B data showed that the airplane stopped transmitting southeast of Palm Coast, Florida, while over the Atlantic Ocean. Shortly after, the pilot advised an air traffic controller that the airplane was experiencing electrical problems but stated it was not an emergency and that he planned to continue to his destination under visual flight rules (VFR).
An employee at the fixed-base operator (FBO) at TTA reported that the pilot’s wife, a passenger, called the FBO on her cell phone. She stated that the airplane had no navigational or communication equipment and requested assistance to determine the active runway and wind conditions. The FBO employee made a radio call on the airport’s UNICOM frequency to advise pilots in the traffic pattern of the situation, then relayed the requested information to the passenger. Shortly after, the passenger informed the FBO employee that the airplane was having engine problems and needed to make a straight-in emergency landing. No further communication occurred. The airplane was subsequently located in an open field about 5 miles from TTA, with the main wreckage oriented approximately 180° opposite the direction of travel.
Wreckage and Systems Findings
The airplane was equipped with a Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), which was not deployed. The CAPS handle inside the cockpit was found with the ground securing pin installed. Flight control cable continuity was visually confirmed from the cockpit to primary flight control surfaces. The engine mixture and throttle cables were separated near the firewall.
Examination of the fuel system revealed that the left wing fuel tank contained no fuel and was not breached. The right wing fuel tank was breached on the forward outboard side and contained about 3 gallons of blue liquid consistent with 100LL aviation fuel. The airplane was equipped with electronic fuel gauges. The fuel selector valve handle was damaged by impact forces; the selector was later found to be in the right tank position. The flap actuator was found fully extended, corresponding to the flaps being retracted.
The engine separated from the fuselage but remained attached to the firewall. The propeller hub assembly stayed attached to the crankshaft flange. The fuel inlet line to the fuel metering unit contained a small quantity of fluid. The fuel manifold was secured to the engine top with no fuel or debris. The engine-driven fuel pump remained attached with an intact drive shaft. The oil filter was undamaged, with no contamination in the filter pleats. The left magneto produced blue sparks when rotated; the right magneto would not rotate due to a cracked and displaced housing. The top spark plugs had new electrodes, and their coloration indicated normal engine operation. The engine had a gear-driven and a belt-driven alternator, both retained for further examination. The crankshaft could rotate about 5° before being impeded by the crushed oil sump housing.
The recoverable data module (RDM) was located in the empennage and sent to the NTSB vehicle recorders laboratory for data extraction. The wreckage was retained for further examination.
Additional Details
The accident occurred about 5 miles from the intended destination airport. No further communications were received from the airplane after the passenger reported engine problems.