Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Meadview, Arizona 86444
Wednesday, October 25, 2006 12:08 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot contacted a flight service station (FSS) specialist to file an instrument flight plan. He stated that he had onboard weather and did not need a weather briefing; however, the FSS specialist did not provide information about adverse weather conditions along the route of flight, as required by FAA directives. The pilot then departed on the cross-country flight. While en route to his destination, the pilot told the air traffic controller that he needed to deviate around weather. The air traffic controller was aware of thunderstorms along the pilot's route of flight, as well as an icing report north of his position. The air traffic controller did not advise the pilot of the known weather information, as required by FAA directives. The pilot continued and then stated that they had an emergency due to icing conditions. Meteorological conditions at the time of the accident showed that the pilot encountered rime/mixed icing of at least moderate intensity, in convection. Thunderstorms were in the area and turbulence was also possible. The airplane then stalled and entered a spin. There was no evidence that the pilot attempted to activate the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), although activation of the system is the only approved recovery of the airplane after its entry into a spin. Weather information transmitted to the airplane's onboard weather system contained weather forecasts of icing, turbulence, and thunderstorms. Whether or not the pilot reviewed this information could not be determined. Testing showed that a fluid line of the anti-icing system could disconnect at higher pressure; however, under normal system pressure the line stayed secured. No other mechanical anomalies were identified during the examinations.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate weather evaluation and continued flight into forecasted icing conditions. Contributing to the severity of the accident was the pilot's failure to follow proper operating procedures and deploy the CAPS when the airplane entered a spin. The flight service specialist's failure to follow published procedures to provide adverse weather or forecast potential hazardous conditions along the intended route of flight, as well as the air traffic controller's failure to provide the pilot with radar-displayed weather information were factors.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/25/2006
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1208
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Meadview
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86444
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 361818N
Event Location Longitude 1134353W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1202 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 140
Weather Observation Facility ID GCN
Elevation of weather observation facility 6609
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 80
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.03
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22912
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Oct 25 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 30 2008 4:08PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA AAI-100

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N121LD
NTSB Number LAX07FA021
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cirrus
Aircraft Model SR22
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1670
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 436.1
Airframe Hours 436.1
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Innovative Hospitality Systems LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4901 Iberville St.
Aircraft Owner City New Orleans
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70119
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Luis A. Castro
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Decatur
Operator State GA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 30033
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TVL
Departure City S Lake Tahoe
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GCN
Destination City Grand Canyon NP
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2007 1:20PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --