Possible Spacial Disorientation

A low-time IFR rated pilot, practicing approaches in a fairly new Cirrus SR22, has gone down just outside the Ft. Lauderdale Executive airport in Southern Florida. The aircraft, thought to be a PFD-equipped SR22, was occupied by the pilot/owner, who radioed that he was having some issues with instrumentation. The accident occurred at 1220 local time, Saturday.

The aircraft went down in Coconut Creek, FL, initially impacting the roof of a private home and coming to rest in the adjoining yard with some damage to an adjacent home. The house that was hit was occupied, but those inside escaped without serious injury. Both homes involved report some fire damage. The pilot was killed on impact, and the aircraft destroyed in the post-impact fire.

The weather at the time was reported, alternately, as barely VFR to IFR. Visibility was marginal (2.5 to 4 miles according to a number of records/reports) and ceiling reports were as low as 600 feet. Rain was reported at the time of the accident. Initial reports of the descent was described as "uncontrolled" with various reports indicating the aircraft pitching or spinning. Unfortunately; the local media also reported the aircraft as a two-seater (the SR22 is a four seater), so take such reports with a grain of salt...

There appears to have been no attempt to deploy the CAPS/BRS parachute system. ANN is withholding the ID of the plane and pilot from this story until we know that his family has been contacted. More info to follow...

Update: The aircraft has now been publicly identified as N889JB, belonging to Jerry Ballard Homes, of Gainesville GA. It was placed on the FAA Registry on June 9th, of 2004.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov, www.cirrusdesign.com, www.cirruspilots.org