Walmart CEO in Cirrus crash

[ryoder]

https://www.inverse.com/article/7703-whole-plane-parachute-caught-on-video-during-safe-landing-in-arkansas

 

[Marauder]

https://www.inverse.com/article/7703-whole-plane-parachute-caught-on-video-during-safe-landing-in-arkansas

 

Cleanup on isle 3

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[aviatoreb]

I guess his Gulfstream wasn't working yesterday?

[kris_adams]

The video of the plane coming down under the chute was pretty cool to see.

[Cabanaboy]

With apparent engine out at about 10,000 feet seems like he could have made it to the airport(elev 1252) 11nm away. (looks like he was trying head that way)

Wonder why such a high descent FPM, Cirrus must sink like a rock with no power.

 

[wishboneash]

Some more details here...

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2015/11/a-former-walmart-ceo-comes-down-under-a-parachute/414046/

My guess, if pilot had not listened to ATC and descended to 4,000 (ATC instruction) and instead maintained altitude/gone directly to the runway (land downwind if needed) the chute might not have been needed. Can't question the outcome though.

[ryoder]

I wish there was a stc for those.

[Culver LFA]

Some more details here...

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2015/11/a-former-walmart-ceo-comes-down-under-a-parachute/414046/

My guess, if pilot had not listened to descended to 4,000 (ATC instruction) and instead maintained altitude/gone directly to the runway (land downwind if needed) the chute might not have been needed. Can't question the outcome though.

I really don't want to speculate but wow, 10,000' and 11 miles away?  It will be interesting to hear what more comes of this as that seems very doable.  Dropping excess altitude when you don't have the airport made, I'm scratching my head over here wondering...why?  I'd rather land on the wheels but even if I know it is going to be a chute pull at 1500' I'd want to be in the vicinity of the airport.

This was an emergency situation, I was taught to fly the airplane first, and even if it's later while you are on the ground filling out paperwork, talk later (and only to the people that you absolutely are required to).  

I wasn't in the airplane with him, no judgement made.  There was no loss of life so it's a good outcome.

[aviatoreb]

Cirrus statistics have improved recently simply by teaching them to pull the chute lever now and worry bout it later.

[ArtVandelay]

Cirrus statistics have improved recently simply by teaching them to pull the chute lever now and worry bout it later.

I hope they teach them not to do that if there is a fire.

[Shadrach]

On November 6, 2015 at 7:24:45 PM, wishboneash said:

Some more details here...

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2015/11/a-former-walmart-ceo-comes-down-under-a-parachute/414046/

My guess, if pilot had not listened to descended to 4,000 (ATC instruction) and instead maintained altitude/gone directly to the runway (land downwind if needed) the chute might not have been needed. Can't question the outcome though.

I listened to the tape. He was told to descend at pilots discretion maintain 4000. Only someone not thinking clearly would give up their biggest resource when having engine trouble. I do not expect insurance rates will come down, if people continue to stop flying the plane in a perfectly workable situation and total the ship. We had a guy in Gaithersburg who pulled his shoot on a "door pop" during an IMC departure. This was an airplane with a 3 axis auto pilot and a "straight and level" button. I wonder if having the chute affects your mentality in an emergency. 

I think the added safety is great. However, the Fayetteville cirrus had 6000' of runway available 10 miles away and 9000' below him. That's a 6:1 glide ratio, which should be a walk in the park in a Cirrus. I think that pulling the chute was riskier than a properly flown approach. Especially given that the wind was likely favorable for reaching the airport.

[ArtVandelay]

Does pulling the chute automatically kill the engine?

[201er]

Is there any good reason he didnt just go direct the field and then break off into a tight right hand pattern to manage energy and control the landing? I don't understand the purpose of this 3 mile nonsense if he has an engine problem or failure?

it looks like he pulled the chute on short final because he wasted energy setting up for a long final rather than just going to the airport.

[Shadrach]

33 minutes ago, 201er said:

Is there any good reason he didnt just go direct the field and then break off into a tight right hand pattern to manage energy and control the landing? I don't understand the purpose of this 3 mile nonsense if he has an engine problem or failure?

it looks like he pulled the chute on short final because he wasted energy setting up for a long final rather than just going to the airport.

Probably never received any engine out training beyond a CFI pulling the throttle and telling him to pick a spot. i was taught to try and be over desired TDZE at 1000ft AGL and 270° to final approach (landing runway) heading. I was not there and I don't know everything that happened, but it looks like this could have been a textbook deadstick landing with plenty of margin. Panic causes people to make poor decisions. There but for the grace of God...

[PTK]

There's no good reason to play monday morning quarterback. He used his judgement to handle the situation the best way he could.

I don't know why he did what he did. But judging by the outcome he did a great job and I respect his decision.

 

[ryoder]

Yeah I would have flown direct to the airport at best glide.  I actually always consider gliding distance to a nearby airport while I fly my high time engine.  I make mental notes of when I come into and go out of power off gliding range to the airport and I do all of my VFR flying other than ground reference maneuvers at higher than necessary altitudes for cooler air and more glide range.  I even enter the pattern high and shed the altitude in the downwind.  Today I landed power off from 500 feet final with flaps at three pumps.  I just want that parachute for power loss at low altitude over populated areas.

[Shadrach]

14 minutes ago, PTK said:

There's no good reason to play monday morning quarterback. He used his judgement to handle the situation the best way he could.

I don't know why he did what he did. But judging by the outcome he did a great job and I respect his decision.

 

Another way to look at "the outcome" is that he risked the lives of folks on the ground outside of the airport boundary because he did not turn direct to the airport when able.  I think BRS is an excellent thing to have under a number of circumstances.  However, If it becomes more common for planes to come floating down under chutes, at some point, people on the ground are going to get injured and even killed. What if he had landed in public swimming pool full of kids? Would that have been a great outcome? The problem with all of the tech we have today is that the lay person has access to more and more in the way of factual information.  I'm glad it worked out well.  But I can see that this incident has the potential to be one whereby not taking control of the situation at the appropriate time, he was forced to relinquish control at a later stage and float down out of control hoping for the best. 

[Andy95W]

46 minutes ago, PTK said:

There's no good reason to play monday morning quarterback. He used his judgement to handle the situation the best way he could.

I don't know why he did what he did. But judging by the outcome he did a great job and I respect his decision.

 

Maybe he didn't realize he was that close to Drake Field, or that it was even there, until the last minute when it was too late.  I don't know the answer, but I've found something I agree with Peter about.

And his tire valve extension.  I like that, too.

[carusoam]

Additional data...

we had a cirrus go down with the chute near NYC a few years ago. Pilot was incapacitated, but was able to steer with power while descending.

1) tough way to find you have a brain cancer.

2) landing in the middle of a highway doesn't sound like a safe outcome either.

Best regards,

-a-

[jetdriven]

22 hours ago, Cabanaboy said:

With apparent engine out at about 10,000 feet seems like he could have made it to the airport(elev 1252) 11nm away. (looks like he was trying head that way)

Wonder why such a high descent FPM, Cirrus must sink like a rock with no power.

 

Idk about you but I don't think 195 knots is anywhere near best glide speed 

[ryoder]

It's about 90 kts in the SR22 from what I have read.  

[Shadrach]

On November 7, 2015 at 2:35:54 PM, N1395W said:

Maybe he didn't realize he was that close to Drake Field, or that it was even there, until the last minute when it was too late.  I don't know the answer, but I've found something I agree with Peter about.

And his tire valve extension.  I like that, too.

I'm niether disagreeing nor agreeing with Peter. I'm just curious about how he handled everything prior to the chute pull. It seems unlikely that in a 2014 SR22 that he'd not have adequate position info relative to the nearest airport. It was a 2014 SR22...I guess the options below just weren't enough...

Avionics
Cirrus Perspective™ by Garmin® Cockpit
Synthetic Vision Technology (SVT™)
10’’ Screens
GMA 350 All-digital Audio Panel
Keyboard Controller
Dual WAAS GPS/Comm/Nav Radios
Engine & Fuel Monitoring
FliteCharts® & SafeTaxi® (subscription required)
XM® Weather and Audio *Subscription Required
Garmin GFC700 Autopilot with Electronic Stability and Protection
Dual AHRS
Hypoxia Check & Automated Descent Mode
Blue Level Button
Autopilot stall protection
406 MHZ ELT
ADS-B Transponder

 

[201er]

9 hours ago, PTK said:

I don't know why he did what he did. But judging by the outcome he did a great job and I respect his decision.

How is totalling an airplane and injuring passengers a "great job?" I'm not saying he did a bad job, but if he were flying something different or the chute happened to take them some place else, things may not have been so good. I see little from the pilot to commend and mostly from the technology and sheer luck.

[jetdriven]

This isn't armchair quarterbacking, it's a statement of fact.   There is no reason a cirrus at 10,000 feet shouldn't be able to easily make an airport that's 11 miles away.  

[bonal]

Can't say I would do any better I'd like to think so. Compare this to the recent engine failure on another thread our Mooney space pilot did great making the field and a safe engine out landing saving himself his passengers and his airplane. Pulling the chute  as a last resort puts it all to luck and may cause someone on the ground to be very unlucky since you have no control over where it comes down.