The pilot reported that during takeoff, he heard a noise that sounded like “gravel hitting the gear,” which continued after landing gear retraction, and prompted a return to the airport in Waukesha, Wisconsin, for a precautionary landing.
He stated that while on the downwind leg, the stall warning aural alert sounded, and the stick shaker activated. The pilot used the autopilot disconnect button to regain control of the Cirrus SF50.
During touchdown, the airplane bounced and exited the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the lower forward fuselage.
Following the accident, the pilot discovered he had failed to remove the angle of attack vane cover.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection removal of the angle of attack vane cover.
NTSB Identification: 106702
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This February 2023 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
