ANN REALTIME Update 0002 EST, 01.14.06: Three
lives have been saved by a BRS CAPS deployment while imperiled
by severe icing over Alabama. We have confirmed that the stricken
SR22, (a 2002 model without TKS deicing or the Avidyne Entegra
system), has grounded safely with three persons on board and that
everyone is "fine." The aircraft departed Birmingham, AL, at 1544
CST and was proceeding to 8000 feet on a Southeasterly course when
this incident occurred.
ANN has learned, via sources that have spoken with Pilot Kerwin
Day, that SR22 N87HK was IFR climbing through icing conditions when
it merged at 8000 feet. The aircraft was visibly covered in "quite
a lot" of ice and exhibited severe control difficulties that
included an uncommanded left bank of 90 degrees followed by an
uncommanded right bank of 180 degrees and an apparent lost of
control.
The pilot then initiated a parachute deployment that concluded
successfully, though we have reports that this one was a "wild
ride" in light of the fact that the aircraft was no longer under
positive control. The right door was ripped off the aircraft during
the deployment, but other than that, the deployment and landing
were true to form. The aircraft is down in Alabama, having
landed in trees, and was reportedly suspended about five feet off
the ground. All three occupants are safe and have already made a
number of phone calls reporting the adventure. In an exclusive
report to ANN by Air Shares' David Lee (though this was NOT an Air
Shares airplane), Day reportedly told Lee that, "I would not be
talking to you today if I hadn't been in a Cirrus."
There is reportedly a fair amount of damage to one wing but
little else to the rest of the airframe.
E-I-C Note: This has been a wild story. ANN
actually wound up alerting both Cirrus Design and BRS to their
latest save after an alert
ANN News-Spy forwarded a brief PIREP to ANN HQ
reporting the barest of details about the incident. ANN immediately
investigated the matter and provided the first word of this save to
both Cirrus officials and BRS... when we say REAL-TIME... we
weren't kidding... grin.
Raw text PIREP
MGM UUA /OV SCD 270004/TM 2200/FL090/TP SR22/IC
SVR ICG 077-0900/RM ACFT WAS DESCENDING BY PARACHUTE DUE TO SEVRE
ICG BUILDUP CORRECTION ANB UUA /OV SCD/TM 2240/FL077/TP SR22/IC SVR
/RM DEPLOYED PARACHUTE ZME
Decoded PIREP
Montgomery FSS Urgent
PIREP Location: Sylacauga, Alabama (SCD) 270004 (270 degrees
4 NM from Sylacauga airport, possibly from Sylacauga NDB which is
also coded SCD) Time 2200Z Altitude (FL) 9000 feet, Type SR 22,
Icing Severe Icing from 7,700 to 9,000 feet, Remark: Aircraft was
descending by parachute due to severe icing buildup. Correction
Anniston FSS Urgent PIREP Location: Sylacauga, AL, Time 2240Z
Type SR 22, Icing Severe, deployed parachute (ZME is the
signature for Atlanta Center)