Cirrus Aircraft · Single-engine piston plane
Cirrus SR22 and SR22T
Is the Cirrus SR22 and SR22T safe? It ranks Shared rankWithin 1 point of other aircraft types: the difference is not meaningful.More in the glossary of 23 small planes we rate, with 87 fatal accidents counted in about 6.8 million US flights since 2008.
Medium confidenceIn serviceUpdated 5 November 2026
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Cirrus SR22 and SR22T safety score: 41 out of 100, grade D (Weak)
Likely range 36 to 46
1 in 87,000chance of dying on a flight11.55 deaths per million boardings
How the score is built
- Fatal accidents
- 87 in 6.8 million flights
12.9 fatal accidents per million flights. Counted: all civil flights in the United States since 2008 (private, training, charter and other), accidents and unexplained losses; not counted: accidents outside the United States or before 2008, military, test and illegal flights, sabotage, hijackings, shoot-downs and deliberate crew acts.
- Full-loss equivalents
- 79.7
Each counted accident adds the share of people on board who died (1 = no survivors). This is what the score is based on.
- Flights flown
- 6.8 million
Estimated flights of all kinds in the United States since 2008. Flights of all kinds in the United States (private, training, charter and other civil use) 2008 to 3 November 2026, each counted from take-off to final landing: the hours of all US piston singles in each year (active aircraft and hours from the FAA General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey), split between types by US-registered aircraft (FAA register, 5,612 of this type in 2024) times how much each type flies against its class (1.39, mostly from airframe hours in NTSB accident records, partly from hours per aircraft seen by ADS-B receivers in 2019-2022), at 1.05 hours per flight from ADS-B tracks: about 110 flights per registered aircraft per year in 2024. Flights and accidents outside the United States, or before 2008, are not used. Against the FAA's hours per helicopter model, this method is off by about 22% on a typical type. Uncertainty roughly ±25%.
- Technology generation
- Single-engine piston plane
Small fleets are pulled toward the record of the other types of their generation: 5.4 full-loss equivalents per million flights over 211 million flights. Weight of this family's own record: 96%.
- Likely range
- 36 to 46
The score is 90% likely to lie in this range, given how few accidents a type has and the error in the estimate of its flights.
- Last fatal accident
- 6 February 2026
Learjetjohn Flying Club LLC, Lexington, SC, United States of America: 1 of 2 people on board died.
- Aircraft destroyed
- 55
Aircraft the NTSB coded as destroyed in an accident in the United States since 2008, fatal or not, from all causes. The NTSB codes many wrecks as only substantially damaged, so the real number is higher (context only, not in the score).
Compared with everyday risks
One flight on the Cirrus SR22 and SR22T carries about the same risk of death as the activities near it below.
- An hour's walk1 in 14 million
- Driving 100 miles (160 km)1 in 5.9 million
- An ordinary day: accidents and violence1 in 1 million
- A day of skiing1 in 830,000
- A scuba dive1 in 500,000
- Cycling 100 miles (160 km)1 in 430,000
- Running a marathon1 in 290,000
- A skydive1 in 250,000
- A general anaesthetic1 in 100,000
- One flight on the Cirrus SR22 and SR22TThis aircraft1 in 87,000
- Riding a motorbike 100 miles (160 km)1 in 83,000
Accident history
87 fatal accidents in the United States since 2008 count toward the score, with 148 people on board killed.
| Date | Flight | Killed | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learjetjohn Flying Club LLCCirrus SR22 · Lexington, SC, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | After an engine failure in the climb from Columbia, South Carolina, the pilot turned for a strip at Lexington; in a steep turn to final the SR22 hit pines short of the runway and flipped. The passenger died; the pilot was badly hurt. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Clickit Air LLCCirrus SR22T · Lincoln, MT, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying at night to Lincoln, Montana, an airport he had never used, the pilot descended over the town, got a terrain warning near the field and added full power in a steep left bank; the SR22 stalled and hit trees north of the runway. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Lasalle Management Company LLCCirrus SR22 · Ruston, LA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | After a go-around from a GPS approach to Ruston, Louisiana, the pilot said he had trouble setting up the autopilot and was hand-flying; the SR22 hit trees nose-low in a left bank 2.5 miles from the runway and burned, killing him. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22T · Franklin, NC, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Arriving at Franklin, North Carolina, from Nashville, the pilot planned a 360-degree turn to land; the SR22 flew low over the runway, rocked its wings, then rolled inverted in a tightening left spiral into a field. All three died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22T · Sanford, NC, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | Flying from Merritt Island, Florida, to Sanford, North Carolina, the SR22 lost radios and navigation to an electrical fault; a passenger then phoned to report engine trouble and it crashed in a field 5 miles out, killing all four. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| Elite Flight ExperienceCirrus SR22 · Franklin Township, NJ, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Four minutes after leaving Princeton, New Jersey, on an IFR flight under low cloud, the SR22 descended in a left circle and stopped answering ATC; it hit woods about 50 degrees nose down near Franklin Township, killing the pilot. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorCirrus SR22 · Lafayette, GA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Practising power-off accuracy landings at LaFayette, Georgia, with his instructor while working toward a commercial licence, the pilot stalled the SR22 on the third approach and it spun in too low to recover. Both died. The NTSB also cited the instructor's late action.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Pantheon Aviation LLCCirrus SR22 · Kill Devil Hills, NC, United States of America | 5 killed / 5 on board | After several stops, the pilot flew to First Flight Airport, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, joined the circuit on the wrong side and flew low over the runway; in a go-around the SR22 stalled and crashed, killing all five. The NTSB cited exceeding the critical angle of attack.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Provo, UT, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Sent around at Provo, Utah, for traffic on the runway, the pilot rejoined the circuit; on the downwind leg the SR22 stalled, spun three turns and hit the water as its parachute opened. The pilot and a pilot-rated passenger died. The NTSB cited an exceeded angle of attack.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Trenton, ME, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Arriving at Bar Harbor, Maine, in low cloud and rain, the pilot started a missed approach with abrupt pitch and power inputs; he became disoriented and the SR22 crashed near Trenton, killing both on board. The NTSB cited the aggressive control inputs and spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Little Rock, AR, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Leaving Little Rock, Arkansas, at 28°F after many start attempts and no warm-up or run-up, the turbocharged engine lost part of its power in the climb; the pilot lost control and the SR22 crashed, killing him. The NTSB cited lost control and not following the flight manual.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Canton, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Landing at night at a private strip in Canton, Texas, lit only by solar deck lights, the pilot flew the SR22 on a line some 340 ft east of the runway and hit trees; he died. The NTSB found he did not reach the runway but could not say why.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorCirrus SR22T · Fairland, IN, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying circuits near Fairland, Indiana, with an instructor in his newly bought SR22, the pilot let it slow after a takeoff; the stall warning sounded eight times in a minute before it stalled into a cornfield. Both died. The NTSB cited both pilots' failure to keep airspeed.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Jesup, GA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Commuting to work, the pilot reached Jesup, Georgia, in low cloud and poor visibility and made two tight turns near stall speed to line up for a visual landing; the SR22 stalled and crashed, killing him. The NTSB cited lost airspeed and the choice to try a visual landing.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Oxbow, OR, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a VFR flight from Caldwell toward Lewiston, Idaho, the pilot, who had no instrument rating, cruised near 14,000 ft, then turned sharply west; the SR22 picked up ice in cloud, went out of control and crashed near Oxbow, Oregon. Both died. The NTSB cited flight into cloud.Type: IcingNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Duluth, MN, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a short repositioning flight from Duluth to Superior, Wisconsin, flying a GPS approach in clear weather, the SR22 pitched about 30 degrees nose down after the autopilot was disconnected and hit the ground; the pilot died. The NTSB could not determine why it descended.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| Zardoz Aviation IncCirrus SR22 · Tomball, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 3 on board | On a transition-training flight home to Houston in his new SR22, the mixture was moved to cut-off by mistake and the engine stopped unnoticed; it sank too low for the parachute and crashed near Tomball, Texas. The instructor died; two survived. The NTSB cited poor supervision.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Blyn, WA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a VFR flight from Friday Harbor to Olympia, Washington, the pilot flew low into cloud with known faults in the flight displays; the SR22 hit terrain while manoeuvring near Blyn, killing him. The NTSB cited flying on with the display faults and into instrument conditions.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Tybee Island, GA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Cleared for an approach to Barnwell, South Carolina, the pilot stopped answering; pilots in another aircraft flew alongside as the SR22 passed his destination and descended into the Atlantic off Tybee Island, Georgia. His heart monitor showed a likely incapacitating arrhythmia.Type: OtherNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorCirrus SR22 · Hutchinson, MN, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | On a familiarisation flight with an instructor at Hutchinson, Minnesota, the engine lost part of its power in the climb after a touch-and-go and the SR22 crashed; the pilot died and the instructor was badly hurt. The NTSB could not determine why the fuel flow dropped.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Knoxville, TN, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | On final to Knoxville, Tennessee, behind an Airbus A320, the SR22 hit its wake and rolled about 135 degrees; the passenger pulled the parachute just before it hit the ground and burned. The pilot-rated passenger died and the pilot was badly hurt. ATC had given no wake caution.Type: TurbulenceNTSB docket | |
| Airmark Group LLCCirrus SR22 · Lamoni, IA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Landing at Lamoni, Iowa, the SR22 bounced and the pilot added power to go around; without enough right rudder it banked sharply left, a wingtip hit the ground and it cartwheeled and burned. Both on board died. The NTSB found he did not keep control in the go-around.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Skylane Partners LLCCirrus SR22 · Mercer, TN, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Climbing out of Memphis, the pilot reported a manifold pressure problem and chose to divert to his maintenance base, not the nearest airport; the SR22 lost power and crashed as he tried a field landing near Mercer, Tennessee. Debris had jammed a turbocharger wastegate.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Port Aransas, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 3 on board | After a local flight at Port Aransas, Texas, the pilot came in low and slow and began a go-around; the SR22 pitched up sharply, dropped a wing and hit the ground inverted near hangars. The pilot died and both passengers were badly hurt. The NTSB cited lost airspeed.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Chester, AR, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | On a dark night VFR flight from Muskogee, Oklahoma, the pilot, who had no instrument rating, turned toward rain, said the wind caught him, then entered a turning descent; the SR22 crashed near Chester, Arkansas, killing all four. The NTSB cited spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Lawrenceville, IL, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a short night GPS approach to Lawrenceville, Illinois, in cloud, the pilot flew past the fix and stayed west of the course while descending; the SR22 hit trees 1.5 miles short and burned, killing him. The NTSB cited a poorly flown approach and unfamiliar new avionics.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Osage Beach, MO, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | After a start that flooded the engine at Grand Glaize, Missouri, the SR22 trailed smoke after takeoff; the pilot turned back, but at about 200 ft it rolled inverted, hit the ground and burned, killing both. The NTSB could not find the fire's source or why control was lost.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: FireNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR-22 · North Las Vegas, NV, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | On a dark night VFR flight to North Las Vegas, the pilot asked for a practice ILS; while he followed ATC headings around air force traffic, the SR22 flew into Gass Peak, killing all three. The NTSB found he did not keep clear of terrain.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Upland, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Joining the circuit at Cable Airport, Upland, California, behind another aircraft, the pilot let the SR22 slow down on the downwind leg; it stalled and crashed, killing him. The NTSB cited exceeding the critical angle of attack while manoeuvring to land.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Americus, GA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Leaving Americus, Georgia, for the Oshkosh air show at night in cloud, the SR22 flew a half-circle to the left and crashed a minute after takeoff; the pilot and his pilot-rated passenger died. The NTSB cited the choice to depart, spatial disorientation and self-imposed pressure.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Grover, UT, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Cruising at 14,000 ft from Moab, Utah, toward Henderson, Nevada, through forecast icing, the SR22 lost speed and then spiralled nose down into terrain near Grover, Utah; both on board died. The NTSB cited structural icing and the choice to keep flying through it.Type: IcingNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Farmington, NM, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a VFR flight from Cal Black, Utah, toward Big Spring, Texas, the pilot, who had no instrument rating, flew toward storms, descended under the cloud and then into a steep right spiral; the SR22 hit the ground near Farmington, New Mexico. The NTSB cited spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Ely, NV, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a VFR flight toward Twin Falls, Idaho, the pilot, who had no instrument rating, diverted around a cold front into cloud and icing; the SR22 descended fast and hit terrain near Ely, Nevada, and both died. Wrong reports from an airport weather station contributed.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Midland, TX, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Departing Midland, Texas, with a passenger, a student pilot who often flew his own SR22 climbed to about 200 ft at low speed; it stalled and descended in a right turn into the ground, and both died. The NTSB cited the stall, with high density altitude contributing.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Lone Tree, CO, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Leaving Centennial, Colorado, at dusk in marginal weather, the pilot turned the wrong way, then said he would return; the SR22 crashed into a field south of the airport near Parker and he died. The NTSB cited spatial disorientation and his self-imposed pressure to fly at night.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Williamsburg, PA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Diverting with ice building up on a flight from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the pilot flew through the ILS course, asked for new vectors and lost control in cloud; the SR22 crashed in Woodbury Township, killing both on board. The NTSB cited spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22T · San Diego, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Taking off from Montgomery Field, San Diego, the engine got far too much fuel and lost all power at about 300 ft; the pilot tried to turn back and the SR22 stalled, rolled inverted and hit the ground, killing him. The reason for the excess fuel flow could not be determined.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22T · Gulf of Mexico | 1 killed / 1 on board | Cruising at 19,000 ft from Oklahoma City toward Georgetown, Texas, the pilot stopped answering; military pilots saw him slumped and unresponsive. The SR22 flew on over the Gulf of Mexico for nearly four hours and came down there. The aircraft was never found.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: OtherNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Klamath Falls, OR, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Leaving Klamath Falls, Oregon, for Medford over mountains in forecast cloud, the pilot, who had no instrument rating, climbed to 8,700 ft and then began a descending left turn; the SR22 hit terrain and both died. The NTSB cited the choice to fly on into cloud.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Glenwood Springs, CO, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | Flying at night over the Colorado mountains toward Moab, the pilot, who had no instrument rating, turned off course around weather; the SR22 hit terrain at 10,800 ft north of Glenwood Springs, killing all four. The NTSB cited poor weather planning and flight into cloud.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22T · Schellville, CA, United States of America | 2 killed / 4 on board | Soon after takeoff from Sonoma Skypark, California, the engine lost power from too much fuel after a wrong fuel pump setting; the SR22 slowed to near stall and its parachute came out at about 130 ft just before impact. Two of four died. The NTSB cited the stall at low height.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Clearwater, FL, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Landing at Clearwater, Florida, as rain showers with microbursts crossed the airport, the pilot went on despite a wind warning from another pilot; in a go-around the SR22 climbed steeply, rolled inverted and crashed, killing him. The NTSB cited the choice to land in that weather.Type: Windshear or stormNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Wallingford, CT, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | On his first flight without an instructor in his newly bought SR22, the pilot came in high and fast at Meriden, Connecticut, bounced and went around; it pitched up, stalled and crashed. He died; his passenger survived. The NTSB cited the unstable approach and low type experience.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · San Antonio, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | In the circuit at Stinson airport, San Antonio, the pilot flew a continuous circling turn to final at 48 degrees of bank; the SR22 stalled with crossed controls, nosed over and crashed, killing him. The NTSB cited uncoordinated control inputs.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorCirrus SR22 · Marion, IL, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | Practising a simulated engine failure landing at Marion, Illinois, with an instructor, the SR22 stalled and rolled right near the runway and hit the ground; the pilot under instruction died and the instructor survived. The NTSB found both let the airspeed drop too low.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorCirrus SR22T · Xenia, OH, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying the SR22 home after maintenance, an airline pilot flew a GPS approach to Xenia, Ohio, then cancelled IFR and continued visually; turning from base to final it stalled and crashed, killing him. The NTSB found he did not keep enough airspeed in the turn.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Colorado Springs, CO, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Soon after takeoff from Colorado Springs, the pilot reported an engine problem and turned back; the SR22 stalled, spun flat and burned, killing both. No engine fault was found. The NTSB cited lost control in the turn at high density altitude and his impairing medications.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Kewanee, IL, United States of America | 2 killed / 3 on board | Departing Kewanee, Illinois, in fog under a 200 ft ceiling, the SR22 made three near-complete left circles soon after takeoff and hit the ground; two of the three on board died. The NTSB cited spatial disorientation in low instrument conditions.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Hard Times LLCCirrus SR22 · Alabaster, AL, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Practising landings at Alabaster, Alabama, the pilot was on final for a fifth landing when the SR22 pitched nearly straight down and hit trees and the ground short of the runway; he died. The NTSB found no fault and could not determine why control was lost.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Tooele, UT, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying over the Great Salt Lake in forecast fog, the pilot, who had no instrument rating, made a slow left turn and the SR22 hit the lake near Tooele, Utah; he died. The NTSB cited spatial disorientation in low visibility and impairment from a sedating antihistamine.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Grover Hill, OH, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | On an IFR flight from Washington, Iowa, to Findlay, Ohio, through forecast icing, the SR22, not approved for known ice, picked up ice and went into an uncontrolled descent near Grover Hill, Ohio; all three died. The NTSB cited large-droplet icing and the choice to fly into it.Type: IcingNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Wallops Island, VA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Cruising at 21,000 ft toward Manassas, Virginia, the pilot sounded impaired and then stopped answering; military jets intercepted the SR22, which flew on and came down in the Atlantic off Chincoteague. Pilot and aircraft were never recovered, so the cause was not determined.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: OtherNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Chesterfield, MO, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Taking off at night from Spirit of St. Louis, Missouri, in fog under a 400 ft ceiling, the SR22 never climbed more than 200 ft and flew into trees west of the runway; both on board died. The NTSB found the pilot did not set up and hold a positive climb.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Gandy Air LLCCirrus SR22 · Gary, IN, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Cleared late for a GPS approach to Gary, Indiana, the pilot disconnected the autopilot and the SR22 descended fast, rolled and crashed a mile from the airport; both on board died. The NTSB cited spatial disorientation, with poor approach control service contributing.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| JL2 LLCCirrus SR22 · Willard, MO, United States of America | 5 killed / 5 on board | On a night ILS approach to Springfield, Missouri, in cloud, the SR22 drifted across the course, turned away for another try and entered a descending turn; it crashed north of Willard, killing all five. The NTSB cited spatial disorientation. The parachute was partly out at impact.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorCirrus SR22 · Falmouth, MA, United States of America | 1 killed / 3 on board | On an instructional flight into Falmouth, Massachusetts, the student flew a drifting, fast-sinking approach; near the ground power came on and the SR22 veered into woods and burned upside down. The instructor died; two others survived. The NTSB cited the instructor's late action.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Salina, UT, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying VFR from Concord, California, toward Aspen at about 13,300 ft, the pilot, who had no instrument rating, turned sharply and the SR22 dived into trees and mountain terrain near Salina, Utah; both on board died. The NTSB cited flight into cloud and spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Bill Air LLCCirrus SR22 · Anderson, SC, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On solo landing practice set by his instructor at Anderson, South Carolina, the pilot went around after touching down; the SR22 climbed steeply, stalled and hit the ground beside the runway, killing him. The NTSB found he did not keep control in the aborted landing.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Photopheresis IncCirrus SR22 · Newcomerstown, OH, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | In cloud at 8,000 ft on a flight from Somerset, New Jersey, to Columbus, Ohio, the SR22 entered a descending right turn, slowed and fell out of the clouds near Newcomerstown, Ohio; the pilot died. The NTSB cited lost control while he dealt with unexplained electrical faults.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Melbourne, FL, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | At busy Melbourne, Florida, the pilot flew a tight base entry to runway 9R, then manoeuvred hard for traffic he thought was in conflict; the SR22 stalled at low height and crashed, killing all three. The NTSB also cited the controller's incomplete sequencing instructions.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Frank M Smith & Associates IncCirrus SR22 · Phoenix, AZ, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | Landing at Scottsdale, Arizona, the pilot turned onto final too close behind a Gulfstream business jet; the SR22 hit its wake turbulence, rolled sharply and crashed on final. The pilot died and his passenger survived. The NTSB found he did not keep enough distance behind the jet.Type: TurbulenceNTSB docket | |
| Air Orlando Inc.Cirrus SR22 · Boynton Beach, FL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying in formation with two aerobatic aircraft after an air show, the SR22 pitched up and rolled inverted at about 30 ft over a wetland west of Boynton Beach, Florida, and dived into the marsh; both pilots died. The NTSB cited a low aerobatic manoeuvre in a non-aerobatic type.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22T · Carrollton, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 3 on board | Leaving Addison, Texas, for Houston, the pilot took off without checking the fuel and with low-fuel alerts showing; the engine stopped from fuel exhaustion and the SR22 hit terrain near Carrollton. One passenger died; the pilot and another passenger were badly hurt.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Danbury, CT, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a night visual approach to Danbury, Connecticut, the SR22 flew below the normal glide path and hit a lit 100 ft beacon tower on a hill about 3/4 mile from the runway; the pilot died. The NTSB found he did not keep clear of the tower.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · West Liberty, OH, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | The SR22 crashed in a cornfield at West Liberty, Ohio, on a flight from Bellefontaine to Jackson, Ohio, in instrument weather; the pilot, who had no instrument rating, was thrown out and died. The record gives no probable cause.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Palm Bay, FL, United States of America | 2 killed / 3 on board | Near Palm Bay, Florida, the oil pressure dropped 17 minutes into the flight but the pilot flew on rather than divert; the engine stopped for lack of oil and the SR22 stalled while he set up a forced landing. Two of three died. He had not secured the oil dipstick and cap.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Buds Aviation LLCCirrus SR22 · Columbus, OH, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | After takeoff from Rickenbacker, Ohio, into cloud, the pilot engaged the autopilot during a left turn; the SR22 kept rolling left into a steep dive and crashed. Both on board died. The NTSB cited spatial disorientation on takeoff into instrument conditions.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Windy City FlyersCirrus SR-22 · South Bend, IN, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Landing at South Bend, Indiana, in a gusty crosswind, the SR22 was thrown about by gusts, then stalled and rolled left during a go-around and cartwheeled; the pilot died. The NTSB found he did not keep control on final approach.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR-22 · Agua Dulce, CA, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Shortly after leaving Van Nuys for Parker, Arizona, the pilot, who had no instrument rating, flew toward a mountain pass in low cloud and fog; the SR22 went out of control and hit terrain near Agua Dulce, California. All three died. The NTSB cited his choice to fly into cloud.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Phoenix, AZ, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Soon after takeoff from Phoenix Deer Valley, the pilot came back to close a door; turning from base to final, the SR22 stalled and spun into the ground, killing him. The NTSB cited lost airspeed and control from diverted attention; he had toxic levels of antidepressants.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Fairfield, NJ, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Arriving high at Caldwell, New Jersey, the pilot landed long, bounced and went around with full flaps; the SR22 pitched up, rolled left and dived into the ground half a mile away, killing all three. The NTSB cited lost control in the go-around after an unstable approach.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Tuscaloosa, AL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Landing at Tuscaloosa, Alabama, at the end of a flight from Miami, the SR22 stalled and spun into the ground on final approach; the pilot and his passenger died. The NTSB found he did not keep enough airspeed while manoeuvring to land.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Morton, WA, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | In cruise toward Renton, Washington, the engine lost power and the SR22 hit trees 2.5 miles short of a runway near Morton; the pilot died and his passenger was badly hurt. Mechanics had not secured a fuel fitting cap after a pressure check, so the engine was starved of fuel.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Gulf of Mexico | 1 killed / 1 on board | Radar lost the Cirrus SR22 in cruise over the Gulf of Mexico after it left St. Petersburg, Florida; neither the aircraft nor the private pilot was found, and the cause is undetermined.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| Beck Management Group LLCCirrus SR-22 · Rock Hill, SC, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a solo circuit-practice flight at Rock Hill, South Carolina, the SR22 turned left after takeoff at up to 50 degrees of bank, gained speed and descended into the ground; the pilot died. The NTSB found he did not keep control and altitude while manoeuvring.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Sequoia Airways, LLCCirrus SR-22 · Ravenswood, WV, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Cruising at 25,000 ft from York, Nebraska, toward Indianapolis, the pilot sounded short of breath and did not descend; he lost consciousness and the SR22 flew on until it came down near Ravenswood, West Virginia. The NTSB cited hypoxia from his improper oxygen system change.Type: OtherNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Crystal, MN, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Landing at night in heavy rain at Crystal Airport, Minnesota, after a long day of flying, the pilot tried to go around; the SR22 rolled onto its side, stalled and burned, and he died. The NTSB cited lost airspeed in the go-around, with darkness, rain and fatigue as factors.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Mayfield Village, OH, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | About 30 seconds after takeoff from Cleveland into cloud, the SR22 circled, climbed and dived in repeated swings and crashed in Mayfield Village, Ohio; both on board died. The NTSB cited spatial disorientation, with the pilot distracted while he set up the autopilot.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Centennial Aviation LLCCirrus SR22 · Moncks Corner, SC, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Six minutes after leaving Charleston, South Carolina, the pilot reported fumes and diverted to Moncks Corner; on a normal-looking approach the SR22 pitched nose down and hit the ground short of the runway, killing him. The NTSB could not determine why control was lost.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Hess, Donald ACirrus SR22 · Tallahassee, FL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a night ILS approach to Tallahassee, Florida, the SR22 weaved right of the course while descending, then stalled and spun onto cars. Both on board died and three people on the ground were hurt. The NTSB cited lost airspeed on final and no timely missed approach.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorCirrus SR22 · Woodruff, WI, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | On an air-taxi flight at dusk, the pilot flew an instrument approach to Minocqua-Woodruff, Wisconsin, in weather below minimums; near the missed-approach point the SR22 slowed, stalled and crashed, killing all three. The NTSB also cited lax operator control and FAA oversight.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Rock Springs, WY, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Near Rock Springs, Wyoming, the SR22 and a Cessna 172 flown by a student pilot collided in mid-air about 5 miles from the airport and both burned. The pilot and passenger of the SR22 and the student pilot died.Type: Mid-air collisionNTSB docket | |
| Mcair LLCCirrus SR22 · Hemphill, TX, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | On an IFR flight from Tupelo, Mississippi, to Houston, the pilot stopped answering ATC; the SR22 flew on for over an hour and a half, then turned and dived into Toledo Bend Reservoir, Texas. All three on board died. The NTSB found a loss of control for undetermined reasons.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Big Bear City, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a dark night flight to Big Bear City, California, the SR22 flew into cloud and hit trees on a mountain at about 8,300 ft, 9 miles west of the airport; the pilot died. The NTSB cited the failure to keep clear of the mountainous terrain.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Waxhaw, NC, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Turning from base to final at a private strip in Weddington, North Carolina, with a gusty tailwind, the SR22 stalled and crashed; the pilot died. The NTSB found he did not keep enough airspeed while manoeuvring to land.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateCirrus SR22 · Front Royal, VA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Departing Front Royal, Virginia, at night in low cloud and rain, the pilot did not turn toward his assigned course; the SR22 hit rising mountain terrain 4 miles west of the airport and both on board died. The NTSB cited the failure to keep clear of the terrain.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorCirrus SR22 · Lindsay, OK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Returning to Lindsay, Oklahoma, after a flight review, the SR22 entered a snap roll near the airport and hit the ground inverted; the instructor and the pilot died. The NTSB found the instructor did not keep control and the aircraft stalled while manoeuvring.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket |
Listed but not counted
These events happened on military, test or illegal flights, or were caused by a crime or a deliberate act, which says little about the aircraft design.
| Date | Flight | Killed | Why not counted |
|---|---|---|---|
| SO Fly Aviation LLCCirrus SR22T · Bend, OR, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Illegal flight (stolen aircraft, smuggling or no licence). The SR22 took off from Bend, Oregon, and circled over one spot for about 2.5 hours before it came down in woods west of the city near Shevlin Park; the pilot died. The record says he had stolen the aircraft and took his own life.Type: SecurityNTSB docket |
The SR22 is famous for its parachute, but in the fatal US record since 2008 the parachute rarely came into play. Per flight, the SR22 and turbocharged SR22T sit just below the middle of the small planes we rate, a little ahead of the Beechcraft Bonanza, though their likely ranges overlap, so the difference is uncertain.
What kind of plane is the SR22, and who flies it?
Cirrus first flew the SR22 in 2000. It is a low-wing composite plane with four or five seats, fixed landing gear and a 310 hp Continental engine; the SR22T adds a turbocharger. Every one carries the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System: a handle in the cabin roof fires a rocket that pulls out a parachute. The FAA register grew from 2,409 SR22s in 2008 to 6,301 in 2026. Most belong to private pilots who use them for travel.
How we score it
The score sets US fatal accidents since 2008 from the NTSB database against US flights that we estimate from the FAA register and the FAA General Aviation survey. The survey gives flying hours for all single-engine pistons together; airframe hours in NTSB accident records and, to a lesser degree, ADS-B tracks from 2019 to 2022 show how often each type flies, and an SR22 makes about as many flights as the average single. A flight runs from take-off to the final landing, so touch-and-goes do not add flights, but an owner's three-hour trip still counts the same as a student's short local hop. A flight in any small plane carries far more risk than an airline flight. See our method and the small planes ranking.
What does the US record show?
Up to 28 October 2026, 87 fatal accidents count, with 148 deaths, in about 6.8 million flights. Of these, 76 were private or other flights, 8 training, 2 ferry and 1 an air taxi flight: a Bluesky Taxi SR22 that stalled on an approach in weather below minimums at Minocqua, Wisconsin, on 11 September 2008. A stolen SR22 that crashed near Bend, Oregon, in August 2026 is listed but not counted, and a Canadian-registered SR22 that crashed at Jamestown, New York, in 2023 is left out, because only US-registered aircraft count.
Loss of control in flight accounts for 51 events: stalls in the turn to final or a go-around, and disorientation in cloud (in at least seven, the pilot had no instrument rating). Flight into terrain follows with 9, engine failures with 8. In five, the pilot passed out at height, once from hypoxia at 25,000 feet near Ravenswood, West Virginia, on 30 July 2009.
What do the records show about the parachute?
Our data holds fatal accidents only, so it cannot count the pulls where everyone lived.
In 66 of the 87 records the parachute is not mentioned. In 5, someone pulled it in flight, and every pull was too low or too fast. Near Sonoma, California, on 13 July 2017, it came out about 130 feet up after a power loss; two of four died. Near Oxbow, Oregon, on 2 April 2023, it was probably fired in icing above 133 knots, its highest demonstrated deployment speed, and the canopy straps failed. In three more records the safety pin was still in the handle, most recently near Sanford, North Carolina, on 7 July 2025 (four dead, no cause published yet). Near Tomball, Texas, on 1 September 2022, nobody noticed the engine had stopped until the SR22 was below 600 feet, the lowest height for a normal deployment in the NTSB report.
If you fly in or rent an SR22
- Remove the safety pin from the handle before take-off, and show every passenger the handle. On 16 December 2021, a passenger pulled it after a wake roll near Knoxville.
- Decide before take-off what you will do if the engine fails at each height, including when you will pull.
- Owners new to the type: train with an instructor who knows the SR22, including slow flight and go-arounds.
- Flying an SR22T high, check the oxygen and wear a pulse oximeter.
- As a passenger, ask whether the flight runs under Part 135 (air taxi) or Part 91 (private), and look up the N-number in the FAA registry and the NTSB database.
How to tell if you are on one
Flight trackers show SR22 or S22T. For the smaller sibling, see the Cirrus SR20.
Questions people ask
Does the Cirrus parachute make the SR22 safe?
It helps only when it is pulled high enough and slow enough. In the fatal US accidents we list, it was pulled in flight in five cases, and every one was too low or too fast for it to work fully. Our data holds fatal accidents only, so it cannot count the flights where the parachute brought everyone down alive.
How many fatal SR22 accidents have there been in the US?
Our data counts 87 fatal SR22 and SR22T accidents in the United States from 2008 up to 28 October 2026, with 148 deaths. One more, a stolen aircraft in Oregon in 2026, is listed but not counted.
Is the SR22 safer than a Cessna 172?
Not per flight in our data. On our estimates, the SR22 has several times as many fatal accidents per US flight as the Cessna 172. The two are flown very differently, though: the 172 does many short training hops, the SR22 mostly longer trips for its owners.
What is the most common fatal SR22 accident?
Loss of control in flight, in 51 of the 87 counted accidents. Many were stalls close to the ground during a turn to land or a go-around, and others came after flight into cloud. Flight into terrain was next, with 9.
What is the minimum altitude to pull the Cirrus parachute?
An NTSB investigation quoted in our records gives 600 feet above the ground as the lowest height for a normal deployment, and the SR22 handbook gives 133 knots as the highest demonstrated deployment speed. Pulls below or above those figures failed in the fatal records we hold.
Sources
- 1.NTSB docket: Cirrus SR22T, Schellville, California, 13 July 2017 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 2.NTSB docket: Cirrus SR22, Oxbow, Oregon, 2 April 2023 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 3.NTSB docket: Cirrus SR22, Tomball, Texas, 1 September 2022 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 4.NTSB docket: Cirrus SR22, Knoxville, Tennessee, 16 December 2021 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 5.NTSB docket: Cirrus SR22T, Sanford, North Carolina, 7 July 2025 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 6.NTSB docket: Cirrus SR-22, Ravenswood, West Virginia, 30 July 2009 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 7.NTSB docket: Cirrus SR22, Woodruff, Wisconsin, 11 September 2008 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 8.SafetyScorer exposure model: FAA aircraft register, FAA General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey, OpenSky ADS-B, NTSB airframe hours (opens in a new tab)Flights of all kinds in the United States (private, training, charter and other civil use) 2008 to 3 November 2026, each counted from take-off to final landing: the hours of all US piston singles in each year (active aircraft and hours from the FAA General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey), split between types by US-registered aircraft (FAA register, 5,612 of this type in 2024) times how much each type flies against its class (1.39, mostly from airframe hours in NTSB accident records, partly from hours per aircraft seen by ADS-B receivers in 2019-2022), at 1.05 hours per flight from ADS-B tracks: about 110 flights per registered aircraft per year in 2024. Flights and accidents outside the United States, or before 2008, are not used. Against the FAA's hours per helicopter model, this method is off by about 22% on a typical type. Uncertainty roughly ±25%.
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