Cirrus SR22 (N705CD) Engine Power Loss Near Lexington, SC — Forced Landing Attempt (Feb. 6, 2026)

Updated: Mar 31, 2026

On February 6, 2026, at 09:21 local time, a Cirrus SR22 (N705CD) was substantially damaged during a forced landing attempt near Lexington, South Carolina, resulting in one fatal injury to the passenger and serious injuries to the commercial pilot. The airplane was operated as a Part 91 personal flight and departed Columbia Metro Airport (CAE) on an IFR flight plan before the pilot declared an emergency, transmitting “mayday” and reporting, “we just lost our engine.”

Accident Summary

What Happened

The NTSB preliminary report indicates the pilot had departed Decatur, Alabama, on February 3, 2026 with full fuel and made two intervening fuel stops before arriving at Columbia Metro Airport (CAE), where the airplane remained parked for two nights. Witnesses stated that when the pilot arrived at CAE, he informed the fixed base operator that he did not require services and would get fuel upon departure, but no fuel was ordered.

On the morning of February 6, 2026, the pilot and passenger arrived at CAE at about 0800 and conducted a preflight inspection. According to witnesses, the pilot moved the airplane into the sunlight “to warm it up and melt the frost” before taxiing for departure. After takeoff on an IFR clearance, the flight climbed normally until about 13 nautical miles west of CAE. Shortly after reaching 8,000 feet msl, the pilot declared “mayday, mayday, mayday,” told air traffic control “we just lost our engine,” confirmed he was declaring an emergency, and reported his intent to divert to White Plains Airport (SC99), located about 1.5 miles south of the airplane’s position at that time. The pilot also reported about 45 gallons of fuel on board.

Divert to SC99 and Final Approach Profile

SC99 is described as a private airport community with a 3,000-foot paved runway (9/27) at an elevation of 524 feet. The preliminary report describes multiple turning maneuvers west of the airport before the airplane flew toward the field and joined the right downwind leg for runway 27 at about 1,600 feet msl (approximately 1,100 feet agl) and 120 knots groundspeed.

Residential security camera video captured the airplane making a steep right turn from base to final, with audio consistent with a propeller windmilling without engine power. Correlated with ADS-B data, the airplane was observed at about 1,290 feet msl and 81 knots groundspeed, then descending to about 1,090 feet msl and 73 knots groundspeed near the end of the turn.

The last ADS-B position was recorded descending through about 790 feet msl (about 300 feet agl) at 70 knots groundspeed, roughly 2,100 feet east of the runway 27 threshold. Shortly thereafter, the airplane struck the tops of pine trees about 1,000 feet from the runway threshold, rolled inverted, impacted a gravel road, and came to rest against trees.

Wreckage and Airframe Parachute System

The wreckage path was about 150 feet long from initial tree impact to the main wreckage location, and no post-impact fire was reported. Flight control continuity was confirmed to all flight control surfaces, and both flaps were found in a 50% setting.

The aircraft was equipped with a whole-airframe parachute system, which was not deployed. The parachute handle was dislodged from its holder assembly by about two inches, the safety pin was not installed, the rocket motor was not actuated, and the parachute remained in its enclosure. The cover separated during the impact sequence.

Fuel, Propeller, and Engine Findings in the Preliminary Report

The report states the fuel selector valve was set to the left wing fuel tank. After the wreckage was uprighted during recovery, about three gallons total of liquid consistent with 100LL aviation fuel was discovered; neither fuel tank was breached, and the gascolator was absent of debris.

The propeller remained attached, with one blade undamaged and two blades bent aft with deep gouges and scrapes. The governor and control linkages were intact and free to move.

The engine oil quantity indicated about seven quarts, and investigators reported no evidence of catastrophic crankcase damage. The preliminary report describes anomalous damage to the camshaft gear, partial compression and suction on some cylinders, anomalous valve action, and borescope evidence of valve strikes on five of six pistons, with no internal evidence of preignition or detonation. The report also states that the fuel injectors appeared free of obstructions, the engine-driven fuel pump functioned normally when actuated, and both magnetos produced spark when tested.

Weather and Flight Plan

The report lists VMC conditions with daylight, with the nearest observation from CAE at 08:56 local showing temperature 1°C, dew point -3°C, wind 240° at 4 knots, and 8 miles visibility. The filed flight plan was IFR from CAE to DCU.

Accident Investigation

This preliminary report reflects an early-stage investigation and is subject to change. In engine power loss events followed by a forced landing attempt, investigators commonly develop the factual record across several workstreams: the aircraft’s fuel and engine system condition, maintenance history and recent servicing, pilot decision-making and energy management during the diversion, and any available recorded data (ATC, ADS-B, onboard avionics, and external video).

For a broader overview of how the federal investigative process proceeds—including evidence preservation, component examinations, and staged public reporting—see our discussion of the NTSB investigation process.

Operational and Regulatory Issues

Several operational factors in the preliminary report are relevant to the investigation, including cold weather preflight conditions, the decision not to obtain fuel services at CAE before departure, the emergency diversion to a nearby private airport, and the final approach maneuvering with a windmilling propeller consistent with no engine power.

In similar events, investigators typically evaluate whether the selected diversion profile preserved altitude and airspeed margins, how turning maneuvers affected energy state close to the runway environment, whether available landing or CAPS deployment options remained viable during the sequence, and whether any aircraft-system or engine anomalies identified on examination could explain the reported loss of engine power.

Aviation Accident Litigation

Fatal accidents following reported engine power loss can involve complex technical and regulatory questions, including engine and fuel system performance, maintenance and inspection practices, operational decision-making during the diversion and approach, and the use (or non-use) of safety systems. In a fatal private-aircraft event like this, those issues may arise in private aircraft accident litigation.

Examples of aviation accident matters involving technical causation and multi-party liability questions are summarized on our Representative Aviation Matters page.

For context regarding reported outcomes in aviation-related disputes, see Selected Aviation Verdicts & Settlements.

Broader observations regarding recurring issues in reported aviation accident litigation are discussed in Aviation Crash Litigation: Common Patterns in Reported Cases.

Consultation Regarding Aviation Accident Investigations

Families, referring attorneys, and journalists sometimes seek legal consultation or technical insight regarding aviation accidents and investigative issues discussed in these analyses. Inquiries may be directed to Katzman, Lampert & Stoll at the link below.

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