What happened
On September 26, 2012, a private Cirrus SR22 was conducting a VFR flight from Ljubljana, Slovenia, to Vienna Schwechat Airport. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and three passengers.
During the final approach to runway 29, the pilot initiated a left-hand turn to align with the runway. While at a low altitude of approximately 18 meters AGL and a speed of 85 knots, the aircraft's stall warning activated. In an attempt to recover, the pilot immediately increased engine power from 12% to 63% and applied back pressure on the elevator.
Despite the power increase, the aircraft's high bank angle and low airspeed prevented a successful recovery. The left wingtip and left main landing gear initially struck the runway, followed shortly by the right wingtip, right main gear, and the propeller. The aircraft slid along the runway, eventually coming to a halt near taxiway A5. All four occupants were able to evacuate the aircraft independently and were uninjured.
The investigation
The Austrian SUB reconstructed the flight sequence using pilot statements, radar data, radio recordings, and data from the aircraft's Recoverable Data Module (RDM). The investigation examined the aircraft's mechanical condition, the pilot's performance, and the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident.
Investigators found no evidence of technical failure in the aircraft or engine. The weather at the time of the accident was reported as CAVOK with calm winds, meaning meteorological factors were not a contributing cause. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) was present but not deployed. During the recovery of the wreckage, investigators identified a potential risk to emergency responders, as the parachute's ballistic rocket deployment mechanism could be accidentally triggered by tension changes in the deployment cable during wreckage handling.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the underspeeding of the aircraft while in a high bank angle during the landing approach.
- The pilot initiated a steep turn at a low altitude and low airspeed to avoid overshooting the runway.
- The high bank angle increased the stall speed due to the combined effects of weight and centrifugal force.
- Abrupt control inputs near the stall speed at low altitude made a recovery impossible.
- The aircraft sustained significant damage, including broken landing gear, damaged wingtips, and a damaged propeller.