Pilot Pulled The Cirrus' Chute About 500' AGL

Two men on a business trip in a Cirrus aircraft walked away from a potential disaster a week ago Monday when their airplane experienced an engine problem at 11,000 feet. But the BRS parachute on the airplane allowed them to be smiling as emergency personnel arrived on the scene.

File Photo

Attorneys Charles Miller and Charles Reynolds, who was flying the airplane were aboard the Cirrus returning from a business trip to Dallas. Miller told Cincinnati television station WKRC that they were over Oklahoma about an hour into their flight at about 11,000 feet when the airplane experienced an engine problem. Miller said he heard a "pretty loud noise" and then saw a puff of smoke come out of the cowling.

As the airplane neared the ground, Miller said they were heading towards some trees when Reynolds said "I'm going to deploy the chute." Miller said his reaction was "chute?" He said didn't know the airplane was equipped with a full airframe parachute (which, frankly, should have been part of the briefing).

Reynolds pulled the handle at about 500 feet AGL, and the chute reached full deployment just before the airplane impacted the ground. It suffered a broken landing gear, bent wing, and slight rupture somewhere in the fuel system. Miller and Reynolds both walked away unharmed, and Miller said the first thing he did was buy beer and "a bunch of lottery tickets."

Maybe if he wins the lottery, he'll consider a Cirrus.

** Report created 8/24/2010 Record 2 **
IDENTIFICATION
 Regis#: 513CM Make/Model: SR22 Description: SR-22
 Date: 08/16/2010 Time: 2125
 Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N
 Damage: Substantial
LOCATION
 City: IDABEL State: OK Country: US

DESCRIPTION
 AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED 4 MILES FROM IDABEL, OK

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
 # Crew: 2 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
 # Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
 # Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
WEATHER: NOT REPORTED
OTHER DATA
 Activity: Unknown Phase: Unknown Operation: OTHER
 FAA FSDO: OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (SW15) Entry date: 08/17/2010

FMI: www.brsparachutes.com, www.cirrusaircraft.com, www.ntsb.gov