Here are the stories for today…

Of note, the first story of the fatal crash in Indianapolis. That was a Cirrus SR20 G3, meaning it was equipped with a Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) which is now standard on every Cirrus SR20 and SR22. This system includes a small solid-fuel rocket housed in the aft fuselage that is used to pull a parachute out from its housing and deploy the canopy within seconds, allowing the aircraft to gradually descend to the ground thus giving a greater chance of survival or avoidance of serious injury to those in the aircraft. If you pulled up on the scene, would you know if it was a Cirrus, if had a CAPS system, if it had been deployed, was it still in the wreckage and was it in a position to still be activated???

These devices can prove deadly to first responders working on or around an aircraft equipped with this system. An accidental triggering of the system can result in dangerous situations such as the pyrotechnic explosion that could injure people working in the immediate vicinity of the aircraft , the suspension lines are projected about 100′ by the ejection of the parachute may endanger people at a greater distance from the site of the wreck as well as if the aircraft loses aviation fuel (AVGAS), the explosion of the cartridge can also start a fire.

While this accident involved a Cirrus aircraft, first responders should be aware that these rocket propelled systems can also be found on other makes and models of aircraft ranging from Ultralights to small twins. Below is a link to an ARFF Working Group website that provides a good program regarding these systems, take a moment to look it over…

https://arffwg.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Ballistic-parachute-rescue-systems.pdf

Now, off my soapbox…

Be safe out there!

Tom