Cirrus has altered the design of its single-engined SR20, following the release of findings by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) into the fatal crash on 23 March of the first production aircraft.
Safety investigators found signs of interference between the right aileron and the right wing which, they claim, may have precipitated the loss of control leading to the accident. The NTSB also believes that the rub marks on the wing indicate that the interference worsened as the wing flexed.
Cirrus test pilot Scott Anderson announced he was having a control problem shortly after launching the second test flight of the first production SR20 from Duluth International Airport, Minnesota. On approach to the airport, he declared an emergency.
After a series of left-only turns and a failed landing attempt, the SR20 crashed into a federal prison. Anderson was killed in the accident. The aircraft did not have the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System, standard on production aircraft.
Following the investigation, Cirrus has increased the clearance between the wing skins and the aileron leading edges. The rear of the wing and part of the aileron have also been modified to remove potential hazards, says Cirrus.
The crash has failed to dampen interest in the four-seat, 160kt (300km/h) aircraft, as Cirrus has chalked up a further 50 orders since the accident, bringing the backlog to around 315. The company has recently increased the SR20's price tag by a further 10%, to $179,400.
"Certification and the first two customer deliveries are planned for this month. There are six other SR20s in assembly," says Cirrus.
Source: Flight International
