Sun, Jan 16, 2005
Possible Spacial Disorientation
A low-time IFR rated pilot, practicing approaches in a fairly
new Cirrus SR22, has gone down just outside the Ft. Lauderdale
Executive airport in Southern Florida. The aircraft, thought to be
a PFD-equipped SR22, was occupied by the pilot/owner, who radioed
that he was having some issues with instrumentation. The accident
occurred at 1220 local time, Saturday.
The aircraft went down in Coconut Creek, FL, initially impacting
the roof of a private home and coming to rest in the adjoining yard
with some damage to an adjacent home. The house that was hit was
occupied, but those inside escaped without serious injury. Both
homes involved report some fire damage. The pilot was killed on
impact, and the aircraft destroyed in the post-impact fire.
The weather at the time was reported, alternately, as barely VFR
to IFR. Visibility was marginal (2.5 to 4 miles according to a
number of records/reports) and ceiling reports were as low as 600
feet. Rain was reported at the time of the accident. Initial
reports of the descent was described as "uncontrolled" with various
reports indicating the aircraft pitching or spinning.
Unfortunately; the local media also reported the aircraft as a
two-seater (the SR22 is a four seater), so take such reports with a
grain of salt...
There appears to have been no attempt to deploy the CAPS/BRS
parachute system. ANN is withholding the ID of the plane and pilot
from this story until we know that his family has been contacted.
More info to follow...
Update: The aircraft has now been publicly
identified as N889JB, belonging to Jerry Ballard Homes, of
Gainesville GA. It was placed on the FAA Registry on June 9th, of
2004.
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