From the NTSB database, fatal accidents/total accidents for the years 2010 to 2015:
Cirrus (all models): 50/145 (about 6,000 built?)
Beech (all singles): 93/301 (more than 17,000 built?)
Perhaps that comparison is flawed, but it seems hard to argue that Cirrus’s many and admirable modern safety features make much of a difference from an undertaker’s point of view.
Jacko wrote:
Cirrus (all models): 50/145 (about 6,000 built?)
Beech (all singles): 93/301 (more than 17,000 built?)
I thought we had done that subject here already several times. You need to factor in how much the planes actually fly to come up with somewhat meaningful numbers. This article mentions a fatal accident rate of 1.81 for the Bonanza 36. As a comparison, the Cirrus fleet in the last 12 months had a fatal accident rate of 0.42.
Rwy20, I think we’re at cross purposes. What the above figures do suggest is that, over a period of five years, whenever an aircraft was involved in a reportable accident, it mattered little to the grave-digging profession whether it was a crappy old Beech single or a shiny new Cirrus with a red handle.
I’m certainly not arguing that Bo drivers are more or less likely to have a fatal accident per hour flown or per airplane in service – and to do so on the basis of one or even three years’ data is to insult even the simplest reader’s intelligence.
The “if it only saves one life” mantra seems to me to be similarly dim-witted or disingenuous. There’s nearly always a cost involved, monetary and otherwise. In the case of civil engineering works, closing a railway for the safety of repair workers may create potentially dangerous congestion elsewhere in the network. In the case of the BRS system, it may, for instance, delay or complicate the action of first responders for all airplanes, not merely those which are fitted with such a system. To quote the manufacturer:
‘One potential hazard rescue workers may encounter is an unfired,
rocket‑deployed emergency parachute system. While these devices are
intended to save lives, they have the potential to cause injuries or even death
to rescue workers.
I don’t understand your argument, but can’t be bothered to try harder either. Sorry.
After reading threads like this one and others similar about safety, risk and statistics, it seems to me that when is comes to GA, both the type of statistics collected and analytical methods used are either insufficient or obsolete.
Would be great to have well populated and publicized incident databases.
So maybe only half the parachute pulls saved fatalities and the lives-saved number is 70 not 140. How does that change the argument?
It changes the “lives saved” argument massively. Actually I reckon the proportion is way smaller than 70/140. The whole list was posted here a year or two ago. It didn’t look too good a supporting case.
I know of two Cirrus BRS deployments. Neither had a forced landing as an alternative.
That must be true for a certain %. What were the circumstances?
Thanks for merging this thread – keeping the Cirrus stuff together provides a useful alternate to sleeping pills 
(Seems to be intersting enough to comment on it ;-))
Nobody will be able to tell "how many of the occupants would have survived without the chute, but if anybody cares to study the complete list they will see that it was at least 70 who would have been dead almost for sure and survived without a scratch.
Why all that has to be discussed over and over again really escapes me, because the system has certainly proven it can save lives. Anybody remember the midair between an R44 and an SR22 in the traffic pattern near Washington D.C.? The R44 was where he should not have been and the SR22 pilot had no chance tl see the helicopter. All three in the R44 were dead, the two Cirrus pilots had no scratch … Or how about the one in the Rocky Mountains where the pilot died of a heart attack in 17.000 ft and his wife pulled the chute? Or the ocean chute landing neat Hawaii in 2-3 m waves? Or all the engine failures over cities – of which none resulted in a fataility. Or the three or four absolutely deadly ones with icing and loss of control?
Here are all CAPS events until today. Which one could not have happened to “you”? Of course there’s a couple of incidents where a landing would have been possible, and also a couple of landings have been made successfully. I am still convinced that CAPS saved the majority of people in these accidents.
Source: COPA
CAPS event #1, Oct 2002, Lewisville, TX (CAPS Save #1)
1 uninjured;Factors: VFR departure after maintenance, aileron unhinged due maintenance error and airplane became difficult to control, after maneuvering, first parachute deployment by pilot in a certified production airplane; Activation: low altitude, 1,500 feet; Weather: VMC; Landing: bushes near golf course
CAPS event #2, April 2004, Lethbridge, AB, Canada (CAPS Save #2)
4 uninjured; Factors: VFR night cruise, loss of control, autopilot-induced stall, night VFR over mountains, SR20 performance Activation: high altitude, deployment upon loss of control; Weather: VMC night; Landing: landed in scree in mountaneous terrain, skidded backwards 1/4-mile, helicopter extraction via parachute risers
CAPS event #3, April 2004, Fort Lauderdale, FL (CAPS Save #3)
1 uninjured; Factors: confusing instrument behavior, low IMC, departure climb, water in static system; Activation: low altitude, 1200 feet; Weather: IMC; Landing: trees
CAPS event #4, Sept 2004, Peters, CA (CAPS Save #4)
2 uninjured; Factors: VFR climb, autopilot-induced stall, rolled inverted, attempted recovery; Activation: high altitude, above 10,000 feet, activated CAPS in VMC before entering IMC; Weather: VMC, then IMC under canopy, then VMC; Landing: walnut grove
CAPS event #5, Feb 2005, Norden, CA (not CAPS Save, parachute separated from airframe)
1 fatality; Factors: severe icing at 16,000’ over Sierra mountains, high speed descent well above Vne of 204 knots; Activation: uncertain if intentional activation or due to airframe stress in high speed descent, located along track to crash site; Weather: IMC, icing; Landing: high speed impact in mountainous area
CAPS event #6, June 2005, Haverstraw, NY (CAPS Save #5)
1 serious injury; Factors: pilot incapacitated from brain seizure, loss of conciousness, awoke and recovered from Vne dive, determined numbness and loss of function in legs; IFR on approach to KHPN, Activation: low altitude, last radar report at 1,600 feet and 190 knots groundspeed (well above Vpd of 133 knots); Weather: VMC; Landing: water, bay of Hudson River
CAPS event #7, Jan 2006, Childersburg, AL (CAPS Save #6)
3 uninjured; Factors: severe icing at 9,000 feet, loss of control; Activation: high altitude; Weather: IMC icing; Landing: trees
CAPS event #8, Feb 2006, Wagner, SD (CAPS Save #7)
2 uninjured; Factors: pilot disorientation in clouds, shortly after takeoff; Activation: low altitude; Weather: IMC; Landing: flat, frozen field
CAPS event #9, Aug 2006, Indianapolis, IN (CAPS Save #8, parachute observed not fully deployed)
1 fatality, 3 serious injuries; Factors: IMC, loss of control, stall/spin descent; Activation: low altitude; 528 feet AGL in 100 knot spin (3-1/2 turns) just 4 seconds prior to impact, well below design parameters for survivable CAPS deployment, first activation of CAPS by non-pilot; Weather: IMC; Landing: water, pond among residential housing
CAPS event #10, Sept 2006, Bull Bay, Jamaica (CAPS Save #9)
4 uninjured; Factors: loss of control, VFR cruise, passenger activated when fuel streaming from tank filler openings; Activation: low altitude; Weather: VMC; Landing: trees
CAPS activation #11, Feb 2007, Sydney, Australia (not CAPS Save,; parachute not extracted due to anomalous rocket trajectory)
2 injuries; Factors: VFR cruise, engine problems, rocket took unusual trajectory, , successful emergency off-airport landing; Activation: low altitude; Weather: VMC; Landing: trees
CAPS event #12, Apr 2007, Luna, NM (CAPS Save #10)
1 injured; Factors: IMC cruise, climb to avoid weather, loss of airspeed indication, terrain warning in IMC; Activation: low altitude, inverted, 34 knots airspeed; Weather: IMC, icing; Landing: trees, mountainous terrain
CAPS event #13, Aug 2007, Nantucket, MA (CAPS Save #11)
2 injured; Factors: VFR in IMC during approach, parachute tangled with tower wires, 1 serious injury, 1 minor injury, 1 unborn child saved; Activation: low altitude; Weather: IMC; Landing: tower, flat open terrain
CAPS event #14, Oct 2008, Spain (CAPS Save #12)
3 uninjured; Factors: IFR in IMC during approach, pilot reported turbulence and loss of control, parachute tangled with power line wires; Activation: low altitude; Weather: IMC; Landing: power line
CAPS event #15, Nov 2008, Turriaco, Italy (CAPS Save #13 )
1 seriously injured, 3 uninjured; Factors: fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power, parachute deployed at low altitude and late in the power-off glide scenario, approximately 400 feet above ground; Activation: low altitude; Weather: VMC; Landing: trees and grass
CAPS event #16, Dec 2008, Gouvy, Belgium (CAPS Save #14 )
1 minor injured; Factors: icing, pilot attempted several outs but was unable to maintain altitude, Activation: low altitude; Weather: IMC, icing; Landing: trees
CAPS event #17, Dec 2008, Patterson, LA (CAPS Save #15)
1 uninjured; Factors: pilot reported mechanical difficulties late at night over coastal marshes; Activation: high altitude; Weather: VMC, night; Landing: canal (water)
CAPS event #18, Feb 2009, Deltona, FL (not CAPS Save,, parachute did not have time to fully deploy)
2 fatalities; Factors: instructional flight practicing low-speed maneuvers, witnesses report spinning aircraft; CAPS activation immediately prior to ground impact; Activation: low altitude; Weather: VMC; Landing: trees
CAPS event #19, Mar 2009, Gaithersburg, MD (CAPS Save #16 )
1 uninjured; Factors: door popped open upon takeoff, pilot reported rain in the cockpit and attempted to manage door but became disoriented; Activation: low altitude; Weather: IMC; Landing: residential street
CAPS event #20, Jun 2009, Mount Airy, NC (CAPS Save #17 )
1 uninjured; Factors: catastrophic engine failure with oil obscuring windscreen, Activation: high altitude, 6,000 feet above ground; Weather: IMC; Landing: level field
CAPS event #21, Dec 2009, Hamilton Island, Australia (CAPS Save #18)
1 seriously injured; Factors: engine loss of power, misfueled with Jet-A, attempted return to airport; Activation: low altitude, 441 feet above ocean; Weather: VMC; Landing: ocean
CAPS event #22, Feb 2010, Boulder, CO (not CAPS Save,, parachute activated due to impact forces)
2 fatalities in Cirrus, 1 fatality in tow-plane; Factors: mid-air collision between Cirrus SR20 and tow-plane with glider in tow; Activation: high altitude, 8,000 feet; Weather: VMC; Landing: level field
CAPS event #23, May 2010, Sirdal, Norway (CAPS Save #19)
4 uninjured; Factors: icing induced high-speed descent followed by parachute activation, Activation: high altitude, 6,000 feet; Weather: VMC; Landing: uneven rocky terrain
CAPS event #24, 10 July 2010, Hornton, United Kingdom (CAPS Save #20)
2 uninjured; Factors: sprial dive while pilot distracted, VFR pilot flying in low ceilings and visibility, Activation: 2,000 feet; Weather: IMC; Landing: field surrounded by trees
CAPS event #25, 16 August 2010, Idabel, OK (CAPS Save #21)
2 uninjured; Factors: loss of engine power, rapid descent, decision to avoid off-airport landing, activated parachute, Activation: low altitude, below 500 feet; Weather: VMC; Landing: grassy field
CAPS event #26, 23 August 2010, Porter, TX (not CAPS Save,, parachute had no effect on outcome)
1 seriously injured; Factors: go-around after aborted landing, failed to clear tree obstructions, activated parachute after first impact with a tree but parachute did not affect outcome; Activation: low altitude; Weather: VMC; Landing: trees
CAPS event #27, 30 September 2010, Mathias, WV (CAPS Save #22)
2 uninjured; Factors: loss of control in turbulence while on approach in stormy weather, Activation: 1134 AGL, 171 KIAS; Weather: IMC; Landing: trees, remarkably the plane wedged itself on branches about 20 feet above the ground, pilot and passenger were injured when they attempted self-rescue and fell onto rocks below
CAPS event #28, 15 December 2010, Nacogdoches, TX (not CAPS Save,, parachute activated after ground impact)
1 uninjured; Factors: loss of engine power, decision to avoid off-airport landing; Activation: after ground impact; Weather: VMC, night; Landing: residential area
CAPS event #29, 27 January 2011, Cross City, FL (CAPS Save #23 )
1 uninjured; Factors: loss of engine power, decision to avoid off-airport landing, activated parachute, Activation: TBD; Weather: VMC, night; Landing: recently logged forest with lots of stumps
CAPS event #30, 30 January 2011, Bennett, CO (CAPS Save #24)
1 uninjured; Factors: pilot disorientation due to vertigo, activated parachute, Activation: low altitude; Weather: VMC, night; Landing: field
CAPS event #31 , 24 October 2011, Carrollton, TX (not CAPS Save,, parachute did not have time to fully deploy)
1 fatality, 2 serious injured; Factors: pilot reported mechanical problem and attempted approach in fog, went missed, attempted second approach and plane lost control prior to missed approach point; Activation: low altitude; Weather: IMC; Landing: field
CAPS event #32, 20 November 2011, New Orleans, LA (CAPS Save #25 )
1 uninjured; Factors: pilot reported loss of engine power and attempted return to airport then activated over Lake Pontchartrain, repacked parachute, Activation: 300 feet; Weather: IMC, day; Landing: water
CAPS event #33, 7 January 2012, near Andros Island, Bahamas (CAPS Save #26 )
2 uninjured; Factors: engine seized and propeller froze in flight due to loss of oil pressure, Activation: 2300 feet; Weather: VMC , day; Landing: water
CAPS event #34 , 29 February 2012, at Melbourne, FL (not CAPS Save,, parachute did not have time to fully deploy)
4 fatalities; Factors: pilot lost control on base turn to final and pulled at low altitude, Activation: almost at ground impact; Weather: VMC , day; Landing: field
CAPS event #35, 24 March 2012, near Itu, Brazil (CAPS Save #27 )
2 uninjured; Factors: engine lost power and pilot avoided off-airport landing, repacked parachute, Activation: TBD; Weather: VMC , day; Landing: field
CAPS event #36, 22 July 2012, near Pickens, SC (CAPS Save #28 )
4 uninjured; Factors: pilot reported mechanical problem, Activation: about 1000 feet AGL; Weather: VMC, day; Landing: trees, suspended about 20 feet above ground, occupants stayed in plane until rescued
CAPS event #37, 6 October 2012, near Birmingham, AL (CAPS Save #29 )
1 uninjured, 1 minor injury; Factors: pilot disoriented during missed approach in IMC , Activation: 1000’ AGL; Weather: IMC , day; Landing: field
CAPS event #38, 16 November 2012, near Show Low, AZ (CAPS Save #30 )
1 minor injury; Factors: engine lost power and pilot avoided off-airport landing , Activation: 1500’ AGL; Weather: VMC , day; Landing: field
CAPS event #39, 21 November 2012, near Gilgandra, NSW, Australia (CAPS Save #31 )
1 uninjured, 1 minor injury; Factors: engine lost power and pilot avoided off-airport landing , Activation: 1000’ AGL; Weather: VMC , day; Landing: field
CAPS event #42, 23 January 2013, near Danbury, CT (CAPS Save #32 )
3 uninjured; Factors: fuel exhaustion; Activation: TBD; Weather: night VMC; Landing: powerlines in residential area
CAPS event #43, 29 March 2013, near Alexandria, MN (CAPS Save #33 )
4 uninjured; Factors: pilot lost control due to flap anomaly; Activation: TBD; Weather: VFR; Landing: frozen lake
CAPS event #44 , 16 May 2013, near Addison, TX (not CAPS Save,, rocket did not extract parachute successfully)
1 uninjured; Factors: pilot reported loss of instruments, activated CAPS, but rocket failed to extract the parachute from the aircraft; repacked parachute; Activation: possibly 7000 feet; Weather: IMC, hard rain; Landing: pilot recovered the airplane and descended underneath the clouds to about 800’ AGL and returned to airport trailing the rocket, lanyard and incremental bridle behind the aircraft
CAPS event #45, 6 June 2013, near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom (CAPS Save #34 )
1 minor injury; Factors: pilot reported “navigational difficulties” while on approach to Cheltenham airport when ATC changed runways and vectored the aircraft to a different approach; Activation: approximately 2000 feet; Weather: IMC; Landing: garden in a residential area of urban city
CAPS event #46, 5 July 2013, near La Guajira, Colombia (CAPS Save #35 )
2 uninjured; Factors: mid-air collision with Cirrus HK-4752; Activation: TBD; Weather: VMC; Landing: ocean
CAPS event #47, fatal accident #97, 18 July 2013, near Lanseria, South Africa (not CAPS Save,, parachute did not have time to fully deploy)
2 fatalities; Factors: low altitude activation after touch-and-go departure; Activation: TBD; Weather: VMC; Landing: Field
CAPS event #48, 20 July 2013, near Tappahannock, VA (CAPS Save #36 )
4 uninjured; Factors: loss of engine power; Activation: TBD; Weather: VMC; Landing: Trees
CAPS event #49, 31 July 2013, near Poncins, France (not CAPS Save,, parachute did not have time to fully deploy)
2 fatalities; Factors: TBD; Activation: TBD; Weather: VMC; Landing: Trees
CAPS event #50, 19 August 2013, near Texarkana, AR (CAPS Save #37 )
1 uninjured; Factors: loss of engine power; Activation: TBD; Weather: VMC; Landing: Field
CAPS event #51, 14 November 2013, near Guaramirim, Brazil (CAPS Save #38)
3 uninjured; Factors: TBD; Activation: TBD; Weather: VMC; Landing: Field
CAPS event #52, 4 January 2014, near Buckhannon, WV (CAPS Save #39 )
1 uninjured; Factors: mechanical, loss of engine power on final approach short of the runway; Activation: 500’ AGL; Weather: VMC; Landing: Road
CAPS event #53, 6 January 2014, near Claveau, Deux Sèvres, France (CAPS Save #40 )
2 uninjured; Factors: mechanical, loss of engine power; Activation: 1800’ AGL; Weather: TBD; Landing: Field
CAPS event #54, 9 January 2014, near Fort Hall, Idaho (CAPS Save #41 )
2 minor injuries; Factors: mechanical, loss of engine power; Activation: TBD; Weather: IMC; Landing: Field
CAPS event #55, 14 February 2014, near Aspen, Colorado (CAPS Save #42 )
1 uninjuried- Factors: pilot reported icing to ATC; Activation: TBD; Weather: IMC; Landing: snow pack 12 feet deep
CAPS event #56, 3 March 2014, near Nogales, Mexico (CAPS Save #43 )
1 uninjuried; Factors: mechanical; Activation: TBD; Weather: VMC; Landing: Desert
CAPS event #57, 10 May 2014, near Lawson, NSW, Australia (CAPS Save #44 )
3 uninjuried; Factors: recovery from a spin; Activation: 2500’ AGL; Weather: VMC; Landing: residential yard, trees
CAPS event #58, 12 May 2014, near China (CAPS Save #45 )
3 uninjuried; Factors: TBD; Activation: 2500’; Weather: TBD; Landing: TBD
CAPS event #59, 11 June 2014, near Burlington, MA (CAPS Save #46 )
2 uninjuried; Factors: Loss of engine power; Activation: TBD; Weather: VFR; Landing: trees
CAPS event #60, 12 October 2014, near Nishikata, Ibusuki city, Japan (CAPS Save #47 )
1 minor injury; Factors: Loss of engine power; Activation: TBD; Weather: TBD; Landing: field then bamboo thicket
CAPS event #61, 22 October 2014, near Lexington, NC (CAPS Save #48 )
1 uninjured; Factors: Loss of engine power; Activation: TBD; Weather: TBD; Landing: field
CAPS event #62, 23 October 2014, near Frederick, MD (CAPS Save #49 )
1 minor injury and 1 uninjured in the Cirrus; 3 fatalities in a Robinson R44 helicopter; Factors: Mid-air collision with helicopter in traffic pattern; Activation: less than 1000’; Weather: VFR; Landing: Trees
CAPS event #63, 28 November 2014,near Hampton County, SC (CAPS Save #50 )
1 minor injury, 3 uninjured; Factors: Loss of engine power; Activation: less than 1000’; Weather: VMC; Landing: Trees
CAPS event #64, 26 January 2015,in Pacific Ocean off Hilo, HI (CAPS Save #51 )
1 uninjured; Factors: Ferry flight encountered inability to transfer fuel from ferry tanks; Activation: 5500’ MSL; Weather: VMC; Landing: Ocean
CAPS event #65, 1 March 2015,near Ljubljana, Slovenia (CAPS Save #52 )
1 uninjured; Factors: Low altitude collision with wires; Activation: less than 1000’; Weather: VMC; Landing: Field
CAPS event #66, 7 July 2015,near Houston, TX (CAPS Save #53 )
2 uninjured; Factors: Loss of engine power; Activation: less than 1000’; Weather: VMC; Landing: Residential area
CAPS event #67, 22 July 2015, on Lake Wales Airport, Lake Wales, FL (CAPS fatal #109 , not CAPS Save, as parachute did not have time to deploy)
1 fatality, 1 seriously injured; Factors: reported loss of oil pressure; Activation: less than 1000’; Weather: VMC; Landing: Shrubs on airport area
CAPS event #68, 16 October 2015,near Lancaster, TX (CAPS save #54) .
2 minor injuries; Factors: descent too low on approach impacting wires; Activation: TBD; Weather: VMC; Landing: power lines
CAPS event #69, 3 November 2015,near Fayetteville, AR (CAPS save #55) .
3 minor injuries; Factors: loss of oil pressure; Activation: TBD; Weather: IMC; Landing: highway, collided with pickup truck
CAPS event #70, 13 November 2015,near Ashe County, NC (CAPS save #56) .
2 uninjuried; Factors: loss of engine power; Activation: TBD; Weather: VMC; Landing: field
CAPS event #71, 16 December 2015,near Eastern West Virginia (CAPS save #57) .
2 uninjuried; Factors: inadvertent spin; Activation: TBD; Weather: VMC; Landing: trees
CAPS event #72, 27 December 2015, near Watertown, WI (CAPS save #58) .
1 minor injury; Factors: reported loss of engine power; Activation: TBD; Weather: VMC; Landing: field
CAPS event #73, 29 December 2015, on Coalgate, OK (CAPS save #59) .
1 uninjured; Factors: reported loss of engine power; Activation: TBD; Weather: VMC; Landing: field
CAPS event #74, 8 January 2016, on Kannapolis, NC (CAPS save #60) .
2 uninjured; Factors: TBD; Activation: TBD; Weather: VMC; Landing: field
CAPS event #75, 23 February 2016, on Palatka, FL (CAPS save #61) .
1 minor injury; Factors: TBD; Activation: TBD; Weather: VMC; Landing: Residential back yard
CAPS event #76, 29 February 2016, on Laguna Pueblo, NM (CAPS save #62)
1 serious, 3 minor injuries; Factors: loss of engine power; Activation: TBD; Weather: VMC; Landing: field, high desert
CAPS event #77, 5 March 2016, near Hauppauge, NY (CAPS save #63)
1 minor injury, 1 uninjured; Factors: loss of engine power due to catastrophic engine failure; Activation: TBD; Weather: VMC; Landing: lawn of industrial park
CAPS event #78, 23 March 2016, near Alexandria, LA (CAPS save #64)
2 uninjured; Factors: TBD; Activation: TBD; Weather: VMC; Landing: TBD
CAPS event #79, 15 May 2016, near Ailly-sur-Somme, France (CAPS save #65)
2 serious injuries; Factors: TBD; Activation: TBD; Weather: TBD; Landing: TBD
CAPS event #80, 9 June 2016, near Frankfurt, Germany (CAPS save #66)
3 uninjured; Factors: loss of engine power; Activation: TBD; Weather: TBD; Landing: field
CAPS event #81, 18 June 2016, near Colorado Springs, CO (CAPS save #67)
3 injured; Factors: loss of engine power; Activation: below 500’ AGL; Weather: VMC; Landing: slightly rolling prairie
CAPS event #82, 6 July 2016, near Macon, GA (CAPS save #68)
1 injured; Factors: loss of engine power; Activation: TBD; Weather: TBD; Landing: rock quarry
CAPS event #83, 13 August 2016, near Des Moines, IL (CAPS save #69)
4 uninjured; Factors: loss of engine power on departure; Activation: 900’ AGL; Weather: VMC; Landing: road, downed power lines caused fire
CAPS event #84, 28 October 2016, near Bloomfield, NM (CAPS save #70)
1 uninjured; Factors: loss of engine power; Activation: TBD; Weather: TBD; Landing: field
Most Recent Event
CAPS event #85, 22 November 2016, near South Korea (CAPS save #71)
3 uninjured; Factors: TBD; Activation: TBD; Weather: TBD; Trees
