N917SR

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn February 15, 2019, about 1730 Pacific standard time, a Cirrus SR22 airplane, N917SR, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Ely, Nevada. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot and passenger departed on the cross-country flight from Craig-Moffat Airport (CAG), Craig, Colorado, about 1425, with a planned destination of Joslin Field-Magic Valley Regional Airport (TWF), Twin Falls, Idaho, about 336 nautical miles (nm) to the northwest. Visual and instrument meteorological conditions (VFR & IFR) prevailed over the route at this time, as a cold front was moving over the area. Air traffic control radar and communications information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the pilot contacted air traffic control shortly after departure and requested visual flight rules (VFR) flight-following services to TWF. He also stated that he would "have to go quite a ways south of direct because of convection." As the airplane proceeded west, then southwest, at an altitude of about 17,500 ft mean sea level (msl), the pilot reported to the air traffic controller that he planned to turn north upon reaching Salt Lake City, Utah. About 1552, or 1 hour and 22 minutes into the flight, and after discussing with the pilot his intent to deviate around the weather by continuing southwest, the controller suggested that the pilot proceed direct to Ely, Nevada (ELY) before continuing to TWF. At this time the airplane was about 154 nm east-northeast of ELY and about 217 nm south-southeast of TWF; TWF was about 192 nm north of ELY. The pilot replied, “I hadn't planned to go as far west as Ely but if that's what I have to do I can." About 1616, while still at an altitude of 17,700 ft msl, the pilot advised the controller that he was going north “to go under [the] deck in about 50 miles; 5 minutes later the pilot began his descent from 17,700 ft msl. This was followed about 7 minutes later when the pilot was observed having turned left to a southwest heading and descending through 12,300 ft msl. About 1632 while now descending through 10,400 ft msl and continuing on a southwest heading, the controller advised the pilot that he was going in and out of radar coverage; at 1634 radar contact was lost with the airplane while it was descending through 10,000 ft msl over mountainous terrain, with peaks over 11,000 ft msl. The controller subsequently advised the pilot that ELY was 75 miles southwest of his location and provided him with the current weather, which was wind 170° at 14 knots (kts) gusting to 22 kts, visibility 10 miles, broken ceiling at 5,000 ft and an overcast ceiling of 6,500 ft. About 1637, the pilot advised the controller that he was diverting to ELY with the intention of landing there. The controller stated that he would keep looking for the airplane on radar and provided the ELY altimeter setting, which the pilot acknowledged. Although radio communication between the controller and pilot was lost after this transmission, another airplane operating in the area established contact with the accident airplane and relayed to the pilot that radar service was terminated and to remain in VFR conditions. The relay aircraft reported to the controller that the accident pilot acknowledged the instructions. Subsequently, there were no further communications between the accident pilot and the controller, and radar contact was not reestablished.

A witness just east of ELY reported that about 1700, he heard an airplane flying low in the clouds over his residence. He stated that the weather was very bad at that time, that he could not see the house next door to him, and that the clouds were at tree-top level.

A second witness, who was about 2.6 miles north of the departure end of ELY runway 30, reported that he monitored the ELY UNICOM frequency and made unofficial visual estimates of the ceiling and visibility. He stated that, about 1719, he heard a series of 5 or 6 clicks on the frequency, which indicated that someone was attempting to activate the airport's pilot-controlled lighting. He stated that the snow was very heavy at the time and he estimated that the visibility was about 1/4 mile in snow. He then heard the following transmission, "Are the runway lights on? I can see the runway." About a minute later, he heard a second transmission of, "I'd like (or 'I'm trying') to land, but I cannot see the runway." He added that when he looked at a clock, it was 1721 or 1722. Neither transmission contained an aircraft identification number or any other identifying information; he did not hear any further communications.

The manager of a fixed-base operator at ELY reported that he was preparing to depart for the day between 1645 and 1700. Due to a fast-moving storm, the visibility had been reduced from 4 to 5 miles visibility to under 1/2 mile in just a few minutes. The witness stated that, about this time, he heard someone keying the microphone to turn on the runway lights. He added, "I was surprised that anyone was out there in the weather we were experiencing." The witness stated that he transmitted on the UNICOM frequency, and a pilot answered that he was trying to turn the runway lights on. The manager replied that the lights were on, but the visibility was "that bad." The pilot responded that if he could just see the runway, he could land. There were no further transmissions from the pilot. The witness added that the ELY Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) had not been accurately reporting the visibility for at least 2 weeks before the accident; the problem had been reported by the ELY airport manager as well as by pilots.

Onboard non-volatile recorded data for the last 10 minutes of the flight (See Figure 1) revealed that the pilot entered the airport terminal area south of the airport on a westerly heading at an altitude of 9,000 ft msl. The pilot subsequently made a 90° right turn toward the north, followed by multiple right and left turns over the airport area at altitudes of between 7,100 ft msl to 7,800 ft msl; the ELY airport elevation is 6,259 ft msl. The pilot then proceeded toward the northeast.

Figure 1 – Overhead view of last 10 minutes of flight

AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONAccording to the manufacturer, the airplane was originally equipped with an Avidyne Multi-Functional Display (MFD), an Avidyne Primary Functional Display (PFD), an S-TEC 55X autopilot, and two Garmin GNS430 units. The airplane had also been retrofitted with an Avidyne DFC90 autopilot.

The airplane's MFD was capable of providing the pilot with a visual weather display, should the pilot elect to use it; however, the MFD was not located within the main wreckage or in the debris field. As such, it could not be determined whether the pilot was using the MFD as he approached ELY, nor was it able to be determined the level of proficiency the pilot possessed in the use the weather display.

The annual inspection entry stated that the pitot-static and transponder tests were due April 30, 2019.

The Cirrus Design SR22 Pilot Operating Handbook for the accident airplane make and model, Section 2, Limitations states, “Flight into known icing conditions is prohibited.

According to the airplane manufacturer, the accident airplane make and model cannot maintain flight at an airspeed of less than 50 knots.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONAt 1453, the ELY Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS), located about 3.4 nm southwest of the accident site, reported wind 160° at 19 kts, gusts at 25 kts, visibility 9 statute miles (sm), scattered clouds at 4,800 ft above ground level (agl), broken clouds at 7,000 ft agl, temperature 2° Celsius (C), dew point -3°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.68 inches of mercury. Remarks: snow began at 26 minutes after the hour and ended at 52 minutes after the hour.

At 1553, the ELY ASOS reported wind 170° at 14 kts, gusts 22 kts, visibility 10 sm, broken clouds at 5,000 ft agl, overcast clouds at 6,500 ft agl, temperature 2°C, dew point -4°C, and an altimeter setting 29.67 inches of mercury. Remarks: unknown precipitation began at 31 minutes after the hour and ended at 39 minutes after the hour.

At 1653, the ELY automated weather reporting system, reported wind 180° at 15 kts, gust 20 kts, visibility 10 sm, broken clouds at 4,200 ft agl, broken clouds at 5,500 ft agl, overcast clouds at 7,000 ft agl, temperature 2°C, dew point -4°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.67 inches of mercury.

At 1724, the ELY ASOS special observation reported wind 310° at 17 kts, gusts 28 kts, visibility 9 sm, light snow, broken clouds at 1,600 ft agl, light snow, broken clouds a 2,800 ft agl, overcast clouds at 3,800 ft agl, temperature -4°C, dew point -4°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.71 inches of mercury. Remarks: peak wind of 28 kts from 300° occurred at 1712, wind shift at 1710, snow began at 1702, pressure rising rapidly, trace amount of liquid equivalent precipitation since 1656.

At 1732, the ELY ASOS special observation reported wind 320 at 12 kts, visibility 9 sm, light snow, broken clouds at 1,200 ft agl, broken clouds at 2,800 ft agl, overcast clouds at 3,800 ft agl, temperature -4°C, dew point -4°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.73 inches of mercury.  Remarks: peak wind of 28 kts from 300° occurred at 1712, wind shift at 1710, snow began at 1702, pressure rising rapidly, 0.08 inches of liquid equivalent precipitation since 1656, temperature of -3.9°C and dew point temperature of -4.4°.

At 1744, the ELY ASOS special observation reported wind 310° at 6 kts, visibility 9 sm, light snow, overcast clouds at 600 ft agl, temperature -4°C, dew point -4°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.74 inches of mercury. Remarks: peak wind of 28 kts from 300° occurred at 1712, wind shift at 1710, snow began at 1702, pressure rising rapidly, 0.03 inches of liquid equivalent precipit...