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Amateurs skip safety-checks - pros don't.

It appears that there is a real danger for the chute to remain attached to the aircraft after touchdown. The winds pulling the plane could have trapped the person inside when flipped. I would think a cutaway would be useful once down.

I'll bet that was a long few seconds between the time the pilot hit the button/lever to deploy the shoot and the aircraft stabilizing underneath it.

And, yeah, it didn't take long for the chute to flip the plane over once in the water.

rotor wrote:Amateurs skip safety-checks - pros don't.

A typical preflight inspectiin and run up won't catch all potential mechanical failures.

I wonder it it was deliberate or by chance that he set it down near a passing cruise ship, which was then able to pick him up. I've heard of other instances where these chutes have been deployed, but this is the first video of it I've seen.

Tam, he was vectored to the cruise ship by the Coast Guard.

TVGuy wrote:It appears that there is a real danger for the chute to remain attached to the aircraft after touchdown. The winds pulling the plane could have trapped the person inside when flipped. I would think a cutaway would be useful once down.

The pilot had time to get off of the wing in the personal raft. He should have done that and gotten away from the plane. It is known the aircraft will sink, so get out and get away.

Here is an FAQ section on the Cirrus 22 BRS chute system http://www.brsaerospace.com/faq.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

mojo84 wrote:

rotor wrote:Amateurs skip safety-checks - pros don't.

A typical preflight inspectiin and run up won't catch all potential mechanical failures.

Just stealing this from AndyC. But seriously, wouldn't you think that the fuel valve integrity for the spare fuel tank, like does it work, would be a preflight check? On-off- that's easy. Maybe I am missing more of the story. John Denver rest in peace.

rotor wrote: Just stealing this from AndyC. But seriously, wouldn't you think that the fuel valve integrity for the spare fuel tank, like does it work, would be a preflight check? On-off- that's easy. Maybe I am missing more of the story. John Denver rest in peace.

Typical pre-flight includes manipulating the fuel selector to the fullest tank... Or if already on the fullest tank, manipulating it off that tank and back. This prevents a pilot from flying an aircraft off the ground with the selector in the "off" position. Most aircraft have some sort of safety to inhibit you from going to the "OFF" position unintentionally, but those things can fail and you might be able to turn it "past" the right position. I don't know of any pre-flight that would catch a failed fuel selector valve, if you couldn't feel it.

This particular plane was being ferried. That is, a normal Cirrus doesn't have enough fuel to make a flight to Hawaii.. So they install "ferry" tanks. Often in the cockpit. There's not going to be "check" procedure, as they're typically setup to fill the main tanks via gravity.. But it's hard to imagine that one of those very simple ball valves would have failed...

Pilots are the root cause of something like 80% of accidents, but it doesn't sound like that's the case in this one.

John Denver deal was different. Not only did he fly without enough fuel in an aircraft he wasn't particularly familiar with, but the aircraft design for changing tanks was very poor. John Denver was not a tall guy and the way they put the valve in that Long-EZ initially, it's located behind the pilot - shoulder area. Hard to reach for a tall guy. A short guy would have a real problem reaching it. You can't see it when flying and you might have to un-strap to get to it, assuming you can reach it at all. My flying partner just bought a Long-EZ and the fuel selector has been re-located. Moving the selector in the Long-EZ is appropriately named the "John Denver Mod". John Denver's deal was largely pilot error, although they sued everyone associated with the building of that Long-EZ and everyone who had ever owned it for allowing that fuel selector to remain in place.

cb1000rider wrote:

rotor wrote: Just stealing this from AndyC. But seriously, wouldn't you think that the fuel valve integrity for the spare fuel tank, like does it work, would be a preflight check? On-off- that's easy. Maybe I am missing more of the story. John Denver rest in peace.

Typical pre-flight includes manipulating the fuel selector to the fullest tank... Or if already on the fullest tank, manipulating it off that tank and back. This prevents a pilot from flying an aircraft off the ground with the selector in the "off" position. Most aircraft have some sort of safety to inhibit you from going to the "OFF" position unintentionally, but those things can fail and you might be able to turn it "past" the right position. I don't know of any pre-flight that would catch a failed fuel selector valve, if you couldn't feel it.

This particular plane was being ferried. That is, a normal Cirrus doesn't have enough fuel to make a flight to Hawaii.. So they install "ferry" tanks. Often in the cockpit. There's not going to be "check" procedure, as they're typically setup to fill the main tanks via gravity.. But it's hard to imagine that one of those very simple ball valves would have failed...

Pilots are the root cause of something like 80% of accidents, but it doesn't sound like that's the case in this one.

John Denver deal was different. Not only did he fly without enough fuel in an aircraft he wasn't particularly familiar with, but the aircraft design for changing tanks was very poor. John Denver was not a tall guy and the way they put the valve in that Long-EZ initially, it's located behind the pilot - shoulder area. Hard to reach for a tall guy. A short guy would have a real problem reaching it. You can't see it when flying and you might have to un-strap to get to it, assuming you can reach it at all. My flying partner just bought a Long-EZ and the fuel selector has been re-located. Moving the selector in the Long-EZ is appropriately named the "John Denver Mod". John Denver's deal was largely pilot error, although they sued everyone associated with the building of that Long-EZ and everyone who had ever owned it for allowing that fuel selector to remain in place.

I said I may be missing some of the story but part of the preflight does include include manipulating the fuel valve and I would imagine in a ferry tank there would be just an on off position if it were a single tank. Perhaps the handle broke, I don't know. Perhaps a pliers might have saved the day. I don't know. Perhaps an internal part of the valve broke in which case nothing could be done. The pilot though was very fortunate to have a Cirrus with an operational parachute. John Denver's case was definitely pilot error though. All of this of course is interesting and not firearm related but human nature. But I still miss John Denver.

Pretty cushy landing I thought it would be much harder. Like a few of my T10 adventures...

Sidro wrote:Tam, he was vectored to the cruise ship by the Coast Guard.

Was the vectorer named Victor?

Roger, Roger.