Three SF50 Runway Issues Within Barely A Week

There's been a swath of accidents featuring Cirrus's much-maligned single-engine jet aircraft... and again, it seems that the bird is having problems on the ground... a lot of problems. 

On Thursday, May 23rd, Cirrus SF50, N83MR, experienced a brake failure while taxiing to the ramp, veering off the runway and striking a runway light.

Two days earlier, another SF50 demonstrated why it is not a good seaplane when N18YF, Vision Jet G2+ Xi, experienced an apparent taxiway excursion and came to rest in the water of the sea lane at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH/KDWH), Houston, Texas. The pilot and two passengers with their two dogs were not injured and the pilot reported a loss of braking.

Sense a trend?

And... on Saturday, May 18th, another Vision Jet (N777LS), a G2+ Arrivée experienced a brake issue during landing and overshot the end of runway 24 at Wings Field Airport (BBX/KLOM), Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. Thankfully, the pilot and two passengers were not injured.

There have been two other runway excursions/gear problems this year alone... 

Problems with ground handling have been a persistent issue with the Vision Jet... though there have been other concerns, as well -- some of them leading to the loss of several airframes and even to loss of life. In October of 2022, a Vision jet aborted a takeoff, and ran off the end of runway 01 at Colombia's Santa Marta-Simón Bolívar Airport (SMR). The SF50 went through a fence and struck persons gathering near a street vendor... killing a three-year-old child. 

The number of such incidents have generated some buzz in which pilots are wondering if the aircraft's certification criteria need to be looked into. We'll keep you apprised. 

FMI: www.ntsb.gov