The pilot reported that the accident flight was his first time flying the Cirrus SR20 from the right seat.
During the landing flare at the airport in Lake City, Florida, the airplane floated, and he recalled that he “was not able to think through how to fly the airplane with his right hand fast enough and the nosewheel hit the runway and the airplane started to porpoise.”
The plane then drifted and he attempted to land in the grass on the side of the runway.
The nosewheel struck a swale and fractured, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall.
The pilot sustained minor injuries in the crash.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s loss of control during the landing flare, which resulted in a runway excursion.
To download the final report. Click here. This will trigger a PDF download to your device.
This December 2021 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Another dumb accident that keeps happening. The CFI is responsible and will take the hit.
I simply ask the CFI …..did you fly with this student before and how much training did you give him before attempting landings…….
Insurance goes up and we all pay……
The only good thing is no one was hurt…..
I agree that would be the case where the CFI is acting as a CFI and is the PIC. However, the purpose of this flight was to familiarize the CFI with the instrumentation in this particular airplane. In reading the owner/pilot’s report, I think it could be argued that the owner/pilot was the PIC and the CFI was the learner. I’d like to see an opinion about that from the Office of the Chief Counsel. Nevertheless, when a CFI will be at a control position, it would be advisable to follow Tom Curran’s advice and not assume anything.
Never assume anything: Years ago, when I was working as a brand new flight instructor over 50 years ago, the flight school had Aeroinca champs and J3 cubs as they were progressively getting Cessna 150s. The pilot approached the flight school and said he had flown in the Navy and it was Flight trained on T 6″s. I assumed he could taxi an Aeronica champ half asleep in the backseat, but suddenly, the aircraft was off the taxiway in the grass. Fortunately, there was no significant damage to the aircraft. Still, I was chewed out by the chief instructor and almost got fired my first lesson in never even assuming anything.
Wow I flew this plane at Aspen Flying Club when it was there! I flew it across the country and back. Great plane.
I think the owner’s safety recommendation gives a good summary: “I could have briefed Emily that I had never flown or landed a plane from the right seat. I could have asked her to be ready to take over in case the landing went bad. I could have not tried a landing until I was more proficient flying from the right seat.”
I agree; they are all valid points.
They are also topics that Emily, the CFI, should have addressed, as a minimum, before they swapped seats. A good reminder that a CFI should never assume “anything” when flying with someone new for the first time.
What happened to full throttle and go around ? Shouldn’t that be your immediate reaction if things goes awry? That was the response taught when I learned to fly.
Paul.
He wasn’t solo; there was a 556-hour CFI in the left seat, with Cirrus experience, who apparently made no attempt to intervene.
Interestingly, they marked her down as “Other Flight Crew” instead of “Flight Instructor” on the NTSB Form 6120. I am betting that didn’t ‘fly’ with the FAA…
Yup, repaired a few of them, indeed a very weak link for such a sophisticated aircraft
Personally I wouldn’t have sn aircraft with a stick, much less side mounted. At any rate, right seat solo isn’t the best plan to aquire the new hand-eye orientation skill.
This is one of the main problems with Curris.. A free catering nose wheel combined with a weak gear strut.
Yup, repaired a few of them, indeed a very weak link for such a sophisticated aircraft
Honestly, it’s not hard. I fly either seat very comfortably.