Grammy winner Brett James dies in Cirrus SR22T accident
Data points to loss of control during go-around
Brett James, an award-winning singer-songwriter who penned hits for country music stars, died September 18 along with two passengers while attempting to land his Cirrus SR22T at a North Carolina airport.
James, who co-wrote "Jesus, Take the Wheel" for Carrie Underwood's 2005 debut album, a chart-topping single that earned the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Country Song, approached Macon County Airport in Franklin, North Carolina, shortly before 3 p.m. with calm winds and clear skies prevailing. The Cirrus had departed John C. Tune Airport in Nashville, Tennessee, and authorities identified the two passengers as Melody Carole and Meryl Maxwell Wilson.
ADS-B data show the aircraft approached within 3 nautical miles of the airport before descending from 7,000 feet msl—just under 5,000 feet above the airport's published elevation of 2,034 feet—at 2:48 p.m. Eastern time, 8 minutes before the accident. The Cirrus then performed a descending 360-degree left turn and overflew the runway while descending more than 150 feet below pattern altitude, then turned crosswind, then climbed to 1,166 feet above the airport on the downwind leg.
Variations in groundspeed (likely a close match with airspeed with winds calm) and descent rate continued through the final approach, before the aircraft leveled off about 40 feet above the runway, continued level for about 2,000 feet, and then began a shallow climb, decelerated, and veered left simultaneously leading to the final ADS-B return located a few hundred feet from a local elementary school, and a similar distance from the runway.
It is unclear if James made any distress calls, as recorded audio of the common traffic advisory frequency was not immediately available. Media photos of the accident scene show the Cirrus was largely intact and not consumed by fire, so NTSB investigators will likely be able to determine the position of the flaps, which may be a crucial clue, as well as the engine and propeller settings.
According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook for the Cirrus SR22T, the normal approach speed with flaps up is 90 to 95 knots indicated airspeed, 85 to 90 KIAS with 50 percent flaps, and 80 to 85 KIAS with full flaps. The accident aircraft registered 113 knots groundspeed and a 1,375 fpm descent rate at a half-mile from the runway on final approach, slowing to 103 knots on short final, 66 feet above the published field elevation. The Cirrus then slowed to 79 knots at the next data point, at 41 feet above the runway and tracking close to the centerline. At the final recorded data point, the aircraft had veered left, slowed to 72 knots, and climbed from about 40 feet above the runway to 216 feet.
The POH directs pilots attempting a go-around to disengage the autopilot, apply full power, reduce flaps to 50 percent, and climb at 80 to 85 KIAS for obstacle clearance, retracting flaps once clear of any obstacles and accelerating to normal climb speed.
A 2016 accident involving a Cirrus SR20 highlights the imperative to maintain full power—and adequate airspeed—while retracting flaps during a go-around. An AOPA Air Safety Institute Accident Case Study notes, in that case, that the accident pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while retracting flaps, getting progressively slower during each of three go-around attempts, ultimately led to the loss of control. In the final, fatal, attempt that pilot had also reduced power while retracting flaps.
