FlightFollowerCirrus SR22 N7GA — Dark-Night CFIT Near North Las Vegas
The Flight & Context
On November 26, 2019, a Cirrus SR22, N7GA, was operating a personal VFR flight from Lake Havasu City Airport in Arizona toward North Las Vegas Airport. The pilot and two passengers were aboard. The NTSB investigation classified the accident as controlled flight into terrain during dark-night conditions. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were fatally injured.
As the flight approached the Las Vegas area, the pilot contacted Nellis Air Traffic Control at 6,500 feet and reported having the destination weather. He requested a practice ILS approach to Runway 12L. The request was accepted, but the arrival then became increasingly complex because of military traffic departing nearby Nellis Air Force Base.
The ATC Sequence
Beginning at about 17:23, the controller issued successive heading changes to accommodate departing F-35 and F-22 aircraft. N7GA was told to fly 270 degrees, then 240, then 280, then 310, followed by 360 and 270 degrees. The pilot acknowledged the instructions. At 17:28:03, the controller told N7GA that altitude was at the pilot’s discretion.
At 17:29:52, the pilot reported receiving a low-altitude alert and said the aircraft needed to turn left. The controller responded with a left turn to heading 250 degrees. The pilot acknowledged. The controller then attempted to contact the aircraft several times without receiving another response.
Terrain and Investigation
Radar data showed the aircraft near 6,500 feet while the flight was in the vicinity of Gass Peak. The airplane eventually impacted mountainous terrain at approximately the same elevation, about 400 feet below the peak. The NTSB found no airframe or engine anomaly that would have prevented normal operation.
Probable Cause
The NTSB determined that the probable cause was the pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain during cruise flight in dark-night conditions. The investigation also noted the limited time available to maneuver after the low-altitude alert.
Key Takeaways / Lessons Learned
The accident shows why VFR radar service does not transfer responsibility for terrain clearance from the pilot. Night operations near mountainous terrain leave little margin for an aircraft that is already at or near the surrounding terrain elevation. When a low-altitude alert occurs, the safest response depends on immediate terrain awareness and decisive altitude management.
Accident Facts
- Accident
- WPR20FA034
- Date
- 26 November 2019
- Aircraft
- Cirrus SR-22 N7GA
- Location
- Near North Las Vegas, Nevada
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Defining event
- Controlled flight into terrain
What Happened
On 26 November 2019, Cirrus SR-22 N7GA was conducting a VFR personal flight from Lake Havasu City, Arizona, to North Las Vegas Airport. The pilot and two passengers were killed when the aircraft impacted mountainous terrain near North Las Vegas.
As the flight approached the Las Vegas area, the pilot contacted Nellis Air Traffic Control Facility at 6,500 feet and requested a practice ILS approach. The controller acknowledged the request, but the aircraft was operating in an area with significant military departure activity. During the next several minutes, the controller issued multiple heading changes to keep the Cirrus separated from departing F-35 and F-22 formations.
The Final Minutes
The pilot acknowledged each heading change. At 17:27:58, the controller told the pilot that altitude was at the pilot's discretion. The final report shows the aircraft continuing at approximately 6,500 feet. Less than two minutes later, the pilot transmitted that they were receiving a low-altitude alert and needed to turn left. The controller immediately issued a left turn to 250 degrees.
No further radio transmissions were received. Recorded radar data showed the airplane continuing toward terrain. It impacted mountainous terrain at approximately 6,500 feet mean sea level, about 400 feet below the peak.
Investigation
The NTSB reviewed the ATC recordings and transcripts, radar data, aircraft wreckage and other evidence. The investigation found no airframe or engine anomaly that would have prevented normal operation. The final report describes the flight as a VFR operation conducted at night and notes that the pilot had requested an ILS approach but was being maneuvered around military traffic.
The NTSB determined that the pilot likely had some type of terrain-awareness warning available, but the investigation could not determine which system it was. The record does not establish that ATC caused the collision. The final investigation instead focuses on the pilot's flight path, altitude and interaction with the surrounding terrain during the final minutes.
The ATC Record
The NTSB docket contains the ATC specialist report, the ATC audio recording, ATC transcripts and FAA radar data. Those records make this incident particularly suitable for a detailed reconstruction because the sequence of headings and communications can be compared directly with the radar track and the terrain.
Sources
Primary Source / Investigation Record
Primary Investigation Reference
NTSB accident number: WPR20FA034
Primary investigation report: WPR20FA034