What happened
On November 13, 2025, at approximately 14:30 CST, a Cirrus SR22, registration N79EM, was involved in an accident near Teague, Texas. The aircraft was being operated as a Part 91 personal flight from David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport in Houston to Addison Airport.
About 30 minutes into the flight, the pilot experienced a loud bang, followed by popping and scraping noises and a violent vibration of the airframe. Simultaneously, oil began venting from the engine cowling near the oil door. The pilot attempted to divert to Teague Municipal Airport (6'8F) but determined the airport was outside the aircraft's best glide range. During the diversion, the pilot noted that the engine RPM had dropped to zero and cylinder head and exhaust gas temperatures were no longer visible on the engine monitor.
After completing the forced landing checklist, the pilot elected to deploy the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS). The parachute deployed as intended, but the aircraft struck a tree line during descent, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and empennage. The pilot and passenger were not injured.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the engine revealed multiple holes in the engine crankcase. The investigation found that the No. 1 and No. 2 cylinders, as well as both magnetos, had separated from the engine. A review of the engine maintenance logs indicated that there had been numerous maintenance actions related to various oil leaks from the engine crankcase within the previous 12 months. The engine had approximately 500 hours of time since the aircraft received its airworthiness certificate in October 2023.