Cirrus Design Corp SR20 N889LD accident near Chester, Connecticut

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to obtain the proper touchdown point while landing. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s inexperience landing at the airport, night conditions, and non-standard runway lighting.

NTSB analysis

The accident flight was the first time the pilot was landing at the privately owned, publicly used airport, with non-standard runway lighting. The pilot was concerned with the runway length and steep drop-off at the end of the runways. The landing runway was 2,566 feet long, 50 feet wide, and was not equipped with a visual slope indicator. Upon his approach to the destination airport, the pilot noted that the runway lights were dim. The night was especially dark for the pilot, limiting his visual cues. The pilot landed hard, on up-sloping terrain, 6 feet short of where the runway’s pavement began. Both main landing gear brake system were damaged in the process. The pilot was not able to brake or steer the airplane. The airplane veered off to the left, went through a fiberglass fence, and down an embankment before coming to a stop into several pine trees.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA09CA007 for the full record.