N79EM

On November 13, 2025, about 1430 central standard time, a Cirrus SR22 airplane, N79EM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Teague, Texas. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that about 30 minutes into the flight from David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport in Houston, Texas, to Addison Airport in Addison, Texas, he heard a loud bang followed by popping and scraping noises with a corresponding violent airframe shake. At the same moment, he noticed oil venting from the engine cowling primarily from around the oil door. The pilot chose to divert to the Teague Municipal Airport (68F) in Teague, Texas. During the diversion, he noticed that the No. 2 cylinder head and exhaust gas temperatures were not visible, and the engine RPM indicated 0 (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. Engine Monitor Data Plot

The pilot performed the forced landing checklist and determined that 68F was outside the best glide range of the airplane. He then elected to find a suitable field over which to deploy the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS). The CAPS deployed normally, and the airplane collided with a tree line during decent which resulted in substantial damage to the empennage and left wing.

Postaccident examination of the engine revealed several holes in the engine crankcase. The No. 1 and 2 cylinders, along with both magnetos, separated from the engine. A review of the engine maintenance logbook showed numerous maintenance actions for various oil leaks with the engine crankcase over the previous 12 calendar months. The airplane received its airworthiness certificate in October 2023, and the engine had accumulated about 500 hours according to the airplane’s tachometer.

The engine was removed for further examination.