Cirrus SR22 accident near Mercer, TN
On June 21, 2021, a Cirrus SR22 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Mercer, TN. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- June 21, 2021
- Place
- Mercer, TN
- Aircraft
- Cirrus SR22 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 35.465°N, 89.057°W
- NTSB ID
- 20210621103304
Official records · ERA21FA263
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- FAA ATC Report Of Aircraft Accident (Form 8020-6-1): Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn June 21, 2021, about 0930 central daylight time, a Cirrus Design Corporation SR22T, N333LZ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Mercer, Tennessee. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to air traffic control communications obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration, the airplane departed Memphis International Airport (MEM), Memphis, Tennessee, about 0900 on an instrument flight rules flight plan with an intended destination of Asheville Regional Airport (AVL), Asheville, North Carolina. The pilot established radio communication with air traffic control while climbing through 3,000 ft mean sea level (msl) to 15,000 ft msl; however, after the airplane climbed to 6,600 ft msl, it began to lose altitude. The pilot advised the controller that the airplane was experiencing engine issues associated with manifold pressure. The pilot then requested to divert to McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport (MKL), Jackson, Tennessee, where the airplane was maintained. The pilot further stated that he was not declaring an emergency. The controller cleared the airplane to MKL with a descent to 3,000 ft msl at the pilot’s discretion. The controller then transferred communications to the MKL controller. The pilot contacted the MKL controller while the airplane was descending through 3,900 ft msl for 3,000 ft msl. He asked for the RNAV RWY20 approach to MKL and requested a descent at pilot’s discretion to maintain airspeed. The controller advised the
Probable cause
A partial loss of engine power due to foreign object debris contamination of the left turbocharger wastegate. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to divert to the nearest airport.
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Browse: Tennessee · 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.
