Accident Overview
On May 16, 2013, about 1120 central daylight time, a Cirrus Design Corp SR22, registration N715CD, experienced a loss of control during cruise flight near Dallas, Texas. The pilot activated the airplane’s ballistic parachute system. The parachute pack remained in its compartment; the rocket deployed and expended its propellant, but the parachute did not deploy. The airplane sustained no damage, and the private pilot was uninjured. The airplane was registered to Jeramiah 2911 Inc and operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91. Marginal visual flight rules conditions prevailed, and the flight was operating on an instrument flight rules plan. The flight originated from Addison Airport (ADS) about 1055 and was destined for Independence Municipal Airport (IDP), Kansas. Following the parachute activation, the pilot descended below the cloud ceiling, regained visual conditions, and returned to ADS without further incident.
Pilot Information
The pilot, age 50, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine and instrument airplane ratings. He reported no previous accidents, incidents, or enforcement actions. His total flight experience in N715CD was about 1,425 hours, including about 136 hours in actual instrument conditions and 44 hours in simulated instrument conditions. He stated that he flew about 400 hours per year, mostly from the Dallas area.
Weather Conditions
The closest official National Weather Service reporting location was Denton Municipal Airport (DTO), about 15 miles southwest of the incident site. At 1053 CDT, the automated surface observing system reported wind from 170° at 10 knots, visibility 10 miles, ceiling overcast at 1,200 feet, temperature 21°C, dew point 18°C, and altimeter 29.81 inches of mercury.
Aircraft Information
The accident airplane was a 2001 Cirrus SR22, serial number 0016, registered to Jeramiah 2911 Inc. Its avionics included an ARNAV multifunction display, two WAAS Garmin navigators, a Sandel horizontal situation indicator, and a VOR indicator. The attitude indicator was an L-3 Avionics Systems Model 1100, electrically driven with a pneumatic erection system and manual caging knob. The ballistic recovery system included a rocket motor (serial number 0580, manufactured January 4, 2012, expiration January 4, 2022) and a deployment bag (part number 14242-101, serial number 00465-R1, repack due December 2021, repacked December 2011).
Parachute Deployment Details
According to the pilot, he experienced a loss of control based on instrument indications, including a horizontal situation indicator flux gate excitation failure message and a spinning HSI card. The attitude indicator appeared caged or stuck. The pilot stated he was “fighting spatial disorientation,” and after turning away from a weather cell, he slowed the airplane and activated the parachute. He heard the rocket motor fire, but the parachute did not deploy. The pilot then descended below the overcast layer, encountered visual conditions about 800 feet above ground level, and returned to ADS. The HSI and attitude indicator began functioning after exiting instrument conditions.