What happened
On 25 November 2017, a Cirrus SR22, registration N844MS, was conducting a private flight from Leeds East Airport to Sherburn-in-Elmet Airfield. The flight was part of a short trip involving two pilots who had previously flown the aircraft from Oxford. During the approach to Runway 28, the pilot observed an aircraft ahead in the circuit and began reducing speed to maintain separation.
While flying at approximately 500 ft aal, the pilot initiated a left orbit to increase distance from the preceding aircraft. During this maneuver, the pilot identified another aircraft on the downwind leg. In an attempt to avoid this second aircraft, the pilot increased the bank angle. Data from the G10-00 instrumentation system indicates the aircraft reached a maximum bank angle of 47° at an airspeed of roughly 74 kt and a height of 460 ft aal.
Following this maneuver, the left wing dropped, leading to an initial stall. Although the pilot attempted a recovery, the aircraft descended several hundred feet before the right wing also dropped. There was insufficient altitude to regain control, and the aircraft struck the ground approximately 1.5 km east of the runway. The impact resulted in serious injuries to both the pilot and the passenger, and the aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation utilized data recovered from the aircraft's Garmin G1000 integrated flight instrumentation system. The investigation examined the pilot's actions regarding traffic separation and the aerodynamic state of the aircraft during the turn. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's decision-making regarding the use of the ballistic parachute recovery system, noting that the low altitude and rapid sequence of events precluded its effective use.