On November 25, 2007, about 1455 central standard time, a Cirrus Design Corp. SR22, N482SR, was destroyed on impact with terrain during landing on runway 12 (4,254 feet by 72 feet, dry asphalt) at the Faribault Municipal Airport (FBL), near Faribault, Minnesota. A post impact fire occurred. The personal flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The pilot and three passengers sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated from the Aberdeen Regional Airport, near Aberdeen, South Dakota, about 1300, and was destined for FBL.
About 1300, a witness, who was a certified flight instructor, saw a Cirrus airplane attempt a landing and saw it go-around. That Cirrus airplane did not land at FBL. About 1440, the witness was monitoring the Unicom frequency at FBL when the pilot of N482SR advised him of his intentions to land and refuel. The witness stated that he saw N482SR on short final and saw the airplane's go-around. About eight minutes later the witness saw the airplane over runway 12 about 40 feet above the ground in level flight heading towards his location. He reported that about four seconds later the airplane rolled left, and impacted terrain in an inverted attitude. The witness indicated that the airplane impacted terrain left wing down, it cartwheeled, and then the post impact fire and explosion occurred.
At 1456, the recorded weather at FBL was: Wind 190 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 22 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 8 degree C; dew point -4; altimeter 29.77 inches of mercury.
The airplane was found inverted on about a 180-degree magnetic heading in a bean field northeast of runway 12's taxiway about 330 feet northeast of the runway's centerline and about 2,000 feet from the approach end of the runway. The composite portions of airplane's empennage and wings were consumed by fire. The metal portions of the airplane's empennage and wings exhibited deformation, discoloring, and melting. The fuselage, up to the firewall, exhibited damage and charring consistent with a fire. A ground scar was observed starting about 48 feet west of the wreckage and lead to the center of the wreckage on about an 80-degree magnetic heading. The shape of the scar's depression was consistent with the inverted shape of the left wing tip. A red navigation light lens was found near the ground scar. A propeller blade had separated from its hub and was found imbedded in a depression in the ground north of the ground scar about 27 feet from the center of the wreckage. The depression's shape was consistent with the shape of the spinner and engine cowling. A propeller blade was found resting within the depression. The third propeller blade that exhibited chordwise abrasions on its back was found about 180 feet from the center of the wreckage on about a 350-degree magnetic heading from the center of the wreckage. The airplane's recoverable data module was deformed, discolored, and was found about 84 feet north of the center of the wreckage. The top of the oxygen bottle was found about 309 feet from the center of the wreckage on about a 70-degree magnetic heading from the center of the wreckage. The airplane's parachute was found extended on the ground starting with its risers near the center of the wreckage and its topmost portion resting about 120-degrees magnetic and 105 feet from the center of the wreckage.
An on-scene examination of the wreckage was conducted. The flight control cables were traced from the cockpit to the linkage for each flight control surface and flight control continuity was established. The ballistic parachute's primer charges were found dimpled. The engine controls cables were traced from the cockpit to their respective engine controls and engine control continuity was established. The engine driven fuel pump shear shaft was intact. The right magneto sustained fire damage and did not produce any spark when it was rotated by hand. The left magneto produced spark at all leads when it was rotated by hand. The gascolator, engine driven and electric fuel pumps, and the fuel line to the manifold valve contained liquid consistent with the smell and color of aviation gasoline. The top sparkplugs were removed and no anomalies were detected. The engine's propeller flange was rotated with a lever. Each cylinder produced a thumb compression. Both turbochargers' compressors rotated when spun by hand.
The airplane's recoverable data module and the engine have been retained for further examination.
