Cirrus Design Corp. SR-22 accident near Hill City, MN
On January 18, 2003, a Cirrus Design Corp. SR-22 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Hill City, MN. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- January 18, 2003
- Place
- Hill City, MN
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design Corp. SR-22 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 46.891°N, 93.597°W
- NTSB ID
- 20030122X00087
Official records · CHI03FA057
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Transcript of Weather Briefing: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On January 18, 2003, at 0638 central standard time, a Cirrus SR-22, N9523P, owned and piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed following an in-flight collision with terrain near Hill City, Minnesota. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and single passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane departed the Grand Rapids/Itasca County Airport (GPZ), Grand Rapids, Minnesota, at 0630, with an intended destination of St. Cloud Regional Airport (STC), St. Cloud, Minnesota. An individual representing N9523P contacted the Princeton Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) at 0455 on the morning of the accident. The individual requested a visual flight rules (VFR) weather briefing from GPZ to STC, departing at 0600. The caller was advised of the current and forecast conditions along the proposed route of flight, as well as of the Aeronautical Meteorological Information (AIRMET) in effect at the time. An individual representing N9523P requested an abbreviated weather briefing from Princeton AFSS at 0541. Proposed departure time was stated as 0600. During his initial statement to the briefer, the caller noted that conditions at GPZ were marginal at the time. He noted that current conditions at GPZ were about 2,800 feet overcast and that he was "hoping to slide underneath it and then climb out." He requested current conditions at STC and any pilot reports. He was advised of the STC conditions and that no pilot reports were on file across the state at that time.
Probable cause
Spatial disorientation experienced by the pilot, due to a lack of visual references, and a failure to maintain altitude. Contributing factors were the pilot's improper decision to attempt flight into marginal VFR conditions, his inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions, the low lighting condition (night) and the trees.
More accidents in MN
- Jetstream BA-3100, Dec 2, 1993
- Raytheon Corporate Jets BAE 125-800A, Jul 31, 2008
- Beech King Air 100, Oct 25, 2002
- Cessna 180, Jul 12, 1987
- Cirrus Design Corp. SR22, Nov 25, 2007
Browse: Minnesota · Cirrus aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
