Cirrus SR20 accident near Santa Maria, CA
On May 20, 2020, a Cirrus SR20 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Santa Maria, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 20, 2020
- Place
- Santa Maria, CA
- Aircraft
- Cirrus SR20 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 34.893°N, 120.455°W
- NTSB ID
- 20200520X45647
Official records · WPR20LA152
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Air Traffic Control Recording - Local Control: Audio recording (WAV), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 20, 2020, about 1043 Pacific daylight time, a Cirrus SR20 airplane, N883PJ, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Santa Maria, California. The student pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot’s flight instructor, the student pilot was making a solo cross-country flight from Van Nuys, California, to Santa Maria. Air traffic control personnel reported that the pilot contacted the local controller requesting a full stop landing. The pilot was instructed to proceed straight in for runway 30. The airplane touched down on the runway surface, and the pilot initiated a go-around. The controller instructed the pilot to enter left traffic for the runway, and the pilot acknowledged. The controller also informed the pilot of nearby traffic and instructed him to follow that traffic and land behind it. The pilot reported that the traffic was in sight, and the controller cleared the pilot to land. There was no further radio communication with the pilot. Radar and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast data showed that the airplane approached the airport from the southeast. The airplane made a straight-in approach to runway 30 and appeared to touch down on the runway and then take off. The airplane climbed and entered a left traffic pattern for the runway. When the airplane was about two-thirds of the way along an extended downwind leg, it leveled off temporarily about 1,700 ft mean sea level (about 1,440 ft above the ground). Shortly thereafter
Probable cause
The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during a steep and descending turn to final approach, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of control.
More accidents in CA
- Douglas MD-83, Feb 1, 2000
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32, Aug 31, 1986
- British Aerospace BAE-146-200, Dec 8, 1987
- Beech C-99, Aug 24, 1984
- Sikorsky S-61N, Aug 6, 2008
Browse: California · 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.
