Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

February 14, 2009 · Cirrus SR22 · N486CD

Steamboat Springs, CO

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
February 14, 2009
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 minor injury), 3 uninjured
Location
Steamboat Springs, CO
Aircraft
Cirrus SR22
Tail Number
N486CD
Operator
Vector Resources
Injuries
Minor
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CEN09LA165

The pilot said that he received a full weather briefing and that there were no NOTAMs (Notice to Airmen) for snow or ice on the runways. The pilot executed a global-positioning-system (GPS) approach to Runway 32. Because the runway has a displaced threshold and because he was flying the GPS approach, his touchdown point was the south runway marker, or 1,000 feet from the runway threshold. The airplane touched down between 80 to 90 knots. The pilot said that he did not apply "hard" brakes because he had been "conditioned to be conservative with the brakes" to avoid overheating them. As he passed a taxiway and started applying the brakes, the airplane hit a patch of ice and turned sideways to the right. The pilot was able to realign the airplane with the runway, but he was approximately 800 to 1,000 feet from the runway's end and still traveling approximately 50 knots. He decided to execute a go-around. As the airplane lifted off, the landing gear struck a snow berm at the end of the runway and the airplane came to rest inverted about 50 feet beyond the end of the runway.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to apply brakes in a timely manner while landing on a snow-packed, ice-covered runway, and his delay in executing a go-around.

Full Narrative

On February 14, 2009, approximately 1115 mountain standard time, a Cirrus SR22, N486CD, registered to and operated by Vector Resources LLC, Denver, Colorado, was substantially damaged when, during an attempted go-around, it struck a snow berm and nosed over at Bob Adams Field (SBS), Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed and activated. One passenger, the pilot's wife, received a minor injury, but the pilot and two other passengers, his daughters, were not injured. The cross-country flight originated from Centennial Airport (APA), Englewood, Colorado, approximately 1015, and was en route to SBS. The pilot said he received a full weather briefing from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Service Station (FSS). There were no NOTAMs (Notice to Airmen) for snow or ice on the SBS runways. The pilot executed a GPS (Global Positioning System) E approach to runway 32. Because the runway has a displaced threshold and because he was flying the GPS-E approach, his touchdown point was the south runway marker, or 1,000 feet from the runway threshold. The airplane touched down between 80 to 90 knots. The pilot said he did not apply "hard" brakes because he had been "conditioned to be conservative with the brakes" to avoid overheating them. As he passed taxiway B and started applying the brakes, the airplane hit a patch of ice and turned sideways to the right. The pilot was able to realign the airplane with the runway, but he was approximately 800 to 1,000 feet from the runway's end and still traveling approximately 50 knots. He decided to make a go-around. As the airplane lifted off, the landing gear struck a snow berm at the end of the runway and the airplane came to rest inverted about 50 feet beyond the end of the runway. The vertical stabilizer was torn off the airplane, and the horizontal stabilizer was buckled. Both wing tips and the right wing lower skin were buckled. The nose and engine were displaced to the left. Impact forces caused the front seat airbag to deploy. As a result, a team of NTSB survival experts traveled to SBS to examine the airplane and its restraint systems (see SURVIVAL FACTORS FACTUAL REPORT). The airplane was equipped with Avidyne Entegra Primary Flight Display (PFD) and Multi-Function Displays (MFD). The PFD and the compact flash card from the MFD were transported to NTSB's Vehicle Recorder Division for download (see VEHICLE RECORDER FACTUAL REPORT). In addition to graphical presentation, data was pictorially depicted on Google Earth (see attached). This data corroborates the pilot's description of events.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time11:15 MST
Nearest AirportBob Adams Field (0nm)
Runway32
Runway Length4452 ft
Runway Width100 ft
Flight Plan FiledVFR
Flight Plan ActivatedYes
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCirrus SR22
Tail NumberN486CD
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorVector Resources
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · IO-550-N · Reciprocating · 310
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 minor injury), 3 uninjured
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor1
Uninjured3
Total4
Crew 1Age 57 · Third Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point25 C / 7 C
Altimeter30.20 inHg
Observation Time17:45
Weather SourceWIT

Appendix: Source Data