Introduction
On 27 March 2009, at approximately 10:40 UTC, a Cirrus SR22 G3, registration N221LD, sustained substantial damage during a landing accident at the airport of Lugo di Romagna, Italy. The aircraft, operated by Cemido Anstalt and owned by N221LD Inc. Trustee Corporation, was on a VFR flight from Bergamo (LIPE) to Lugo di Romagna (LIDG) with two persons on board, the pilot and a passenger.
Flight History
The flight departed Bergamo at 09:54 UTC with full fuel. The aircraft cruised at 2,000 feet with a true airspeed of 180 knots. Upon arrival at Lugo di Romagna around 10:40 UTC, the pilot initiated a landing on runway 21 in the presence of variable-intensity wind from the right. During the landing flare, the aircraft first touched down with the left main wheel. It then became airborne again, with the left wing low and a tendency to drift left. Believing the landing could not be completed safely, the pilot added power to abort and go around. The go-around maneuver was unsuccessful, and the aircraft struck the ground on the left grass strip before coming to rest in an adjacent plowed field.
Aircraft Information
The Cirrus SR22 G3 (serial number 2929) is a single-engine, four-seat, low-wing aircraft with fixed tricycle landing gear, manufactured by Cirrus Design Corporation. It was powered by a Teledyne Continental Motors IO-550-N46 engine driving a Hartzell three-blade constant-speed propeller. At the time of the accident, the aircraft had accumulated 86 hours and 30 minutes of total time. No technical discrepancies or malfunctions were reported prior to the flight.
Pilot Information
The pilot, a 50-year-old Italian male, held a valid Private Pilot Licence (A) and also a Private Pilot Licence (H). He was rated for single-engine piston land aircraft (SEP land) and had a total flight experience of 143 hours and 51 minutes, of which 46 hours and 10 minutes were on the Cirrus SR22 G3. His medical certificate required corrective lenses for near vision.
Accident Sequence
Upon touchdown, the left main wheel contacted the runway, but the aircraft lifted off again with a left wing-down attitude and a left turn tendency. The pilot applied power to initiate a go-around, but the aircraft could not maintain flight and impacted the ground on the left side of the runway. The wreckage came to rest in a plowed field adjacent to the airport. No fire occurred, and the airport fire brigade responded, though no fire suppression was needed.
Damage and Injuries
The aircraft was substantially destroyed, with partial separation of the engine from the mount and the entire tail cone from the fuselage. The cockpit cell remained intact. Both occupants were uninjured and declined medical assistance. No ground damage or injuries to third parties occurred.
Probable Cause
The investigation determined that the accident was attributable to pilot error in the conduct of the landing maneuver performed with crosswind conditions incompatible with the pilot's experience and training.