Cirrus Landing Accidents

Getting tired of reading about Cirrus landing accidents? We've seen a lot of them. Let's do something about them. But first, why so many?

A common factor emerges: landing with excessive speed.

But then how should you land a Cirrus? And how do you land your Cirrus? If you do it differently, then what are the risks?

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Factors in Cirrus Landing Accidents

But back to the landing accidents in a Cirrus. At least 30 aircraft have had substantial damage due to landing accidents, at least two of them fatal: Gurupi, Brazil when the wing tip touched the ground and the plane cartwheeled killing the pilot, and Crystal, MN when landing in rain and the plane failed to execute a go around after touching down. These accidents involve many variations of problems, such as loss of directional control after touchdown, pilot induced oscillations, and running off the end of the runway.

A common factor, not necessarily the cause but something that stands out, emerges: excessive landing speed.

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What do we mean by "landing speeds"?

So, if the guidance is consistent and standard, why do we have a problem? Seems that people use the phrase "landing speed" to refer to different phases of the normal landing procedure. Here's my take on the distinctions:

• final approach speed: the airspeed with 100% flaps during the descent towards the runway
• short final speed: the airspeed for the last part of the final approach, often less than a mile down to about a quarter mile
• over the fence speed: a colloquial term without precision, because where is the fence in relation to the runway threshold
• over the numbers speed: another colloquial term that at least refers to the landing portion of the runway beyond the threshold
• Vref speed: airspeed for crossing the landing threshold of the runway, defined as 1.3 times Vso, the stall speed in landing configuration at most unfavorable weight & balance
• round out: the transition from nose-down attitude during final approach to nose slightly high to enter ground effect over the runway
• flare: the nose slightly high attitude as airspeed decreases in ground effect prior to touch down
• touch down speed: slightly above Vso, the full stall speed

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Your landing check ride

We encourage you to fly with a safety pilot or an instructor to review what airspeeds you fly when landing. They can call out or write down the speeds on short final, across the threshold, as you round out and flare and touch down. They might also note the position on the runway where you round out and touch down.

What can go wrong?

This landing was typical of what the CPPP flight instructors seek as proficiency in Cirrus pilots. Unfortunately, not everyone comes with good landing habits. What can go wrong?

• float forever: if the speed over the threshold is too great, it may take a long, long, long time for the plane to slow down.
• nose wheel lands first: flying the plane onto the runway risks touching the nose wheel first, and that may cause a rebound into the air and starting a pilot induced oscillation
• planting the main gear onto the runway: forcing the plane to touch down before it has stopped flying means it may start flying again before you are slowed down enough; why? a gust of wind may provide lift, or a bump in the runway surface may provide upward thrust, or the main gear spring into action and provide upward thrust on their own
• brake lockup: with a free castering nose wheel, you may have directional control problems if the brakes lock up unevenly

Proficiency in landing will reduce risk of accidents

Become proficient yourself. Watch for other Cirrus pilots who carry excessive speed in their landings. Tactfully intercede. Help them become proficient and avoid an accident.