This is what the poor guy would have needed (not sure it’s been posted on here before).
Q to the Cirrus drivers here – is there a way to jettison the parachute? In this video it’s clearly visible that the parachute pulls the a/c under, thus reducing the available egress time of the occupants.
No, the parachute cannot be jettisoned. But this very rarely creates problems. In the Hawaii case there were very strong winds which finally turned the plane around. I guess the ropes could be cut if you had the right knife at hand though.
Single Engine IFR has that inbuilt risk. The only way to lower it is by making sure that there is a useable ceiling around (at least 1000 ft I would say) or to have CAPS.
I would say that most SEP airplanes are not able to hold a 3 degree glide with the engine out, even in clean configuration with a windmilling prop. So if something happens during the approach phase, it will almost sure result in an off airport landing. That is why a ceiling is the only way you can have some sort of control over where you set it down.
@Jan_Olieslagers, Do you mean that single-engine aircraft should be operated so that they are within gliding distance of an airport at all times? That’s the only way I can make sense of your insistence on gliding instrument approaches.
I would recommend a balloon in that case :-)
Weather at the time of the accident was:
METAR KSFZ 282155Z AUTO 02007G14KT 9SM OVC008 14/10 A2969
METAR KOWD 282153Z 01007KT 2 1/2SM BR OVC008 14/13 A2969
There was some clear air below the overcast. I regularly depart/arrive in OVC008 so I would fly in similar conditions in a SEP.
I’ve done a lot of simulated engine failures during IFR training where we simulated OVC005 (so start looking outside when approaching 500ft).
During training I was able to get a succesful outcome around 75% of the time. But that was in The Netherlands, where is no terrain and you’ll find the ground at 0 ft.
I think with a real engine failure your chances are much less, as stress is becoming a major factor and your decision making is affected.
Listening to the ATC recording gives me shivers. The guy was under severe stress and had no options left.
Some more thought on the ATC recording: this accident shows that with an engine failure in IMC you’re basically on your own.
The pilot was saying: I’m in IMC, I have an engine failure, I need help.
But ATC really couldn’t do much yet the controller was talking quite a lot.
Peters moving map solution might be preferable in that you are actively in control rather than putting your faith in the hands of a controller.
I think that with the typical ROD of -1000fpm there is really very little ATC can do for you, assuming you have a GPS moving map and have selected some airport to glide to.
Setting 7700 and making a mayday call is a good idea, and then just concentrate on the job. The workload is very high and you probably won’t hear what ATC are saying anyway.
There was some clear air below the overcast. I regularly depart/arrive in OVC008 so I would fly in similar conditions in a SEP.
Yes, but you have to be under control when you get to the clear air.
I concur that ATC would be of very little assistance, other than attempt to get traffic out of your way, as you glide down. Synth vision, BRS, all great, but the majority of the GA fleet will not have, nor possibly will, ever get. Comes back to my train of thought that if in a similar scenario, straight ahead, best glide/sink, get ready, and if it is your day, pop out, and take it from there. I say if it is your day, because you may glide out where there is zero option in front of you, and that is the luck of the draw. Whilst here, the controller offered an airfield behind him, I felt that it may only add indecision, more confusing decisions, under an extremely high work load. This guy appeared to remain quite calm, under pretty dreadful circumstances. I think he realised what was unfolding..
