Cirrus SR22 incident near Dallas, Texas, May 16, 2013
On May 16, 2013 at about 4:20 pm local time, a 2001 Cirrus SR22, registered N715CD, was involved in an incident during maneuvering near Dallas, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the airplane’s parachute to deploy when activated during a loss of control in cruise flight due to the dynamic maneuvering of the airplane at the time of the activation, which exceeded the parachute system’s certification requirements.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2013 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Dallas, Texas · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus SR22, built 2001 · all SR22s on the register
- Registration
- N715CD · registry record · serial 0016
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he lost airplane control during cruise flight in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and turbulence. He subsequently activated the airplane's parachute system, but the parachute failed to deploy. The pilot regained control of the airplane after exiting IMC and landed the airplane without further incident. Certification tests were performed from level flight at speeds ranging from 62 to 137 knots indicated airspeed, and one test included deployment of the parachute system after a one-turn spin. The testing showed that to minimize the chances of parachute entanglement and reduce aircraft oscillations under the parachute, the parachute system should be activated from a wings-level, upright attitude if possible. Postincident examination of the parachute system did not reveal any system component failure. Postincident testing showed that off-axis deployment of the parachute could exceed the forces required for a successful deployment of the parachute. If the airplane has a large pitch or bank angle or angular rates (or a combination of these) as the parachute rocket leaves the airplane, the airplane will rotate and cause the rocket tether to pull at an angle other than that intended, and the parachute will fail to deploy. Radar data showed that the airplane was in a very dynamic flight pattern with extreme pitch and bank angles when the parachute system was activated. Thus, the parachute likely failed to deploy when activated due to the dynamic maneuvering of the airplane at the time of the activation, which exceeded the parachute system's certification requirements.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (cruise)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during maneuvering
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Equipment/furnishings › Parachute › Capability exceeded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,801.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 19, 2012
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ADS Dallas TX at 3:55 pm
- Destination: IDP Independence KS
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 pm from ADS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN13IA285.