Deployed Airframe Parachute After Missing An Instrument Approach

The NTSB's preliminary report associated with an October 6th, 2012 accident involving a Cirrus SR22 airplane indicates that the pilot said he "lost control" of the airplane after missing an instrument approach to Birmingham International Airport (KBHM). The pilot deployed the airplanes emergency parachute, and survived the accident with minor injuries. A passenger on board suffered serious injuries, but also survived.

NTSB Identification: ERA13LA012
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, October 06, 2012 in Birmingham, AL
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22, registration: N80KW
Injuries: 1 Serious,1 Minor.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On October 6, 2012, about 1215 central daylight time, a Cirrus SR22, N80KW, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged during deployment of the Cirrus Airplane Parachute System (CAPS), following a loss of control during a missed approach at Birmingham International Airport (BHM), Birmingham, Alabama. The private pilot incurred minor injuries and the passenger was seriously injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Charles B Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC), Kansas City, Missouri; destined for BHM.

The pilot stated that while on the instrument landing system approach to runway 6 at BHM, he reported missed approach at 2,000 feet to the BHM air traffic control tower. The tower controller instructed the pilot to fly the runway heading; however, the pilot reported to the controller that he was unable due to weather. The tower controller then instructed the pilot to fly a heading of 180 degrees and climb to 4,000 feet. The pilot acknowledged the instruction and during the turn, lost control of the airplane. He then observed the altimeter indicating a descent through 1,700 feet and elected to deploy the CAPS. The airplane subsequently descended and came to rest in a commercial parking lot, about 2 miles south of BHM.

Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to the fuselage and a puncture of the left wing near the left main landing gear.

The airplane was equipped with a remote data module (RDM), intended to record flight and engine parameters. The inspector recovered the RDM from the airplane and forwarded it to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory, Washington, DC, for data download.

The recorded weather at BHM, at 1153, included an overcast ceiling at 700 feet above ground level (1350 feet above mean sea level).

(Cirrus SR22 pictured in file photo. Not accident airplane)

FMI: www.ntsb.gov