A Passion for Safety

How did a newbie pilot become so passionate about safety and Cirrus accidents?

When I picked up my SR22 in 2001 as a VFR-only pilot with just 65 hours total-time, I was fascinated by the human factors of operating such a technologically advanced aircraft.  Having a career in computer graphics research helped me appreciate the tremendous benefits of the Cirrus avionics.

But my first long cross-country flight, from San Diego to New Orleans for Super Bowl XXXVI, passed over the site of the first fatal Cirrus accident at Sierra Vista, AZ.  The image on the left shows the capability of the MFD in the plane of that era.  Note that there are only a few terrain elevations on a black background with Interstate 40 clearly visible. The image on the right shows a pseudo-color terrain display on an upgraded MFD.  The pilot had insufficient information to avoid the ridge while maneuvering in bad weather to escape IMC and regain Interstate 40.  The accident location was half-way between the peak marked 7711 and the highway, impacting the ridge about 150 feet from the top.

From that early experience, I began to devour NTSB reports, press reports, and COPA discussions to learn more about Cirrus accidents.  I began a tally of Cirrus accidents and have kept it up, becoming a de facto historian.  Along the way, misinformation prompted me to rebut wild speculation or incorrect conclusions.  In addition to the COPA forums, I posted on the AOPA forums, FlightAware discussion groups, and a few other aviation forums.

Providing factual, realistic assessments of what we knew about Cirrus accidents helped dispell many myths.  After the Cory Lidle accident, even Jim Fallows linked to my work to explain the reality of Cirrus accidents in the midst of rampant speculation.

Sharing my analysis with Cirrus pilots and feeling their reactions fuels my passion for safety.  Just don't add to the tragic statistics, eh?

Cheers
Rick