Parachute Save #19
No suspense form - Another life saved. 


Short form: A Cirrus pilot was flying from NJ to SC and lost his engine at about 6,000 feet.  Oil spewed onto his windshield and he couldn't see so he deployed the airplane's parachute.  The plane came to rest in a wooded area and the pilot got out, walked a safe distance away, and called 911 to help guide emergency rescue people to his location.

Story from the local newspaper (which erroneously states the NTSB will probably not open an investigation - they are required to since the plane got totaled):  Read here.

There are already pilots (who have never flown a Cirrus nor are they trained in the parachute procedures) criticizing this guy's choice to use the chute and not try to land sans power, but fortunately all the media spin is going against them.  News people are pointing out the very true fact that this guy had a much greater chance of death and an almost sure chance of injury had he tried to glide in with that terrain. 

I hope to chat with him next week at our fly-in in DLH.