Jeff Ippoliti survives plane crash | FerrariChat

Jeff Ippoliti survives plane crash

Discussion in 'Florida' started by kevfla, Apr 11, 2004.

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  1. kevfla

    kevfla Formula 3

    Nov 20, 2003
    2,086
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    gone 4 good
    Those of you that know Jeff and his brother Jim will be interested to know that Jeff is a lucky man! Jeff, former FCA Regional Director of the Empire State (N.Y.) Region moved to Celebration, Florida (outside of Kissimmee) a couple of years ago to set up a cellular phone retail chain.

    This morning's Orlando Sentinel (4/11/2004) reports that Jeff experienced engine failure after takeoff from the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport Saturday morning in his Cirrus SR22. Jeff's plane is equiped with an emergency parachute. After hearing an explosion, witnesses looked up and saw the 4-seat plane floating to the ground like a leaf. The plane was slightly damaged after falling into a wooded area in North Lauderdale. Jeff, fortunately, escaped any injury as trees cushioned the plane's impact. The FAA will investigate the engine failure.

    Jeff is coordinating a FCA concours next month in downtown Celebration. See that thread for more info.

    KevFla
     
  2. Cavallino Motors

    Cavallino Motors F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    May 31, 2001
    14,143
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    Martin W.
    Oh My GOSH!!!!

    Glad he is okay, I saw the plane wreck on the news this morning but did not make anything off it.
     
  3. Cavallino Motors

    Cavallino Motors F1 World Champ
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    May 31, 2001
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    Martin W.
    I guess that means Ferraris at Disney will mean he will have adrink on the house :)

    I can't get over it. Anotherone survived because of the parachute! Small investment when it saves your life!
     
  4. Debbie

    Debbie Formula Junior

    Nov 2, 2003
    303
    Central Florida
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    Wow, I was shocked to see this post and glad that Jeff is OK!!
     
  5. Sloan83qv

    Sloan83qv F1 Rookie
    BANNED

    Mar 8, 2001
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    Little Dave M.
    Cirrus designed the aircraft with a number of safety features built-in. The Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) will lower the entire aircraft to the ground when all alternatives to land have been exhausted. The aerodynamically advanced Cirrus wing is specifically designed to avoid an accidental spin in inadvertent low altitude stalls. The TKS-based weeping wing ice protection system allows the pilot to escape from inadvertent icing conditions. Cirrus uses a composite main gear and a 3g-roll cage to absorb energy in the event of a hard landing. Four-point harness systems with inertia reels are combined with rugged 26g seats, and control yokes are positioned on the side to prevent serious injury.
     
  6. SoFlaNSX

    SoFlaNSX Karting

    Mar 3, 2004
    62
    WOW! I want them designing the safety features on my car!! hehe

    Glad to see he survived! I too saw this report on the news and thought nothing of it.
     
  7. paulie_b

    paulie_b F1 Veteran
    Consultant Owner

    Jan 13, 2003
    6,823
    Jupiter, FL
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    Paul Bianco
    glad to hear he is O.K., must have been scary! maybe he should drive next time.
     
  8. gabriel

    gabriel Formula 3


    What Cirrus marketing doesn't tell you is that without the CAPS, they were not given the green light for FAA certification... kinda like a car manufacturer not being allowed to market without an extrordinary precaution for a defective concept.

    Glad it turned out okay. :)
     
  9. paulie_b

    paulie_b F1 Veteran
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    Jan 13, 2003
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    anyone know where the parachute is located on the plane? on the top or the rear? trying to imagine how it would get to the ground in reasonable shape.
     
  10. gabriel

    gabriel Formula 3

    Caps is in no circumstance (that I know of) designed to lower the plane so as to minimize any damage. Every single case, except for one that I know of, in which CAPS was deployed resulted in significant destruction of the aircraft. These are not only mounted on Cirrus aircraft. Some also resulted in fatalities, as well.
    The CAPS deployment that resulted in no damage was due to an attempted deployment in the air that misfired. Subsequently, the pilot regained control of the aircraft and landed successfully, after which the CAPS deployed.

    And I have no confirmation of that incident personally, as it would not have to be noticed to the FAA or NTSB - I've just heard of it second hand from a few IAs. I believe the CAPS is located topside.
     
  11. gabriel

    gabriel Formula 3

    #11 gabriel, Apr 15, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    "The system is designed to be used as a last resort, when all other means of controlling the aircraft safely have been exhausted. Possible situations when it could be appropriate to use the CAPS include mid-air collision, control impairment, mechanical failure, pilot incapacitation or loss of orientation or fuel exhaustion over hostile terrain."

    - Cirrus company press release
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  12. gabriel

    gabriel Formula 3

    #12 gabriel, Apr 15, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  13. paulie_b

    paulie_b F1 Veteran
    Consultant Owner

    Jan 13, 2003
    6,823
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    are they both pictures of Jeff's plane?
     
  14. KennyH

    KennyH F1 Veteran
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    Aug 13, 2001
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    Unbelievable- thank g-d he's okay..
     
  15. gabriel

    gabriel Formula 3

    I was talking with a mechanic over at the former Micco factory hanger, and he stated that he didn't think that Cirrus HAD to install the parachute for FAA certification...but that if you went into a spin in one, you weren't coming out alive without it.

    NTSB Identification: NYC02FA089.
    The docket is stored on NTSB microfiche number DMS.
    14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
    Accident occurred Wednesday, April 24, 2002 in Parish, NY
    Probable Cause Approval Date: 5/1/03
    Aircraft: Cirrus SR-22, registration: N837CD
    Injuries: 2 Fatal.

    The airplane was maneuvering about 5,000 feet above the ground when it entered a right, flat spin. It continued the spin to the ground, without deployment of the onboard parachute recovery system. Examination of the wreckage, and a subsequent examination of the engine revealed no mechanical anomalies. The two accident pilots purchased the airplane 6 days before the accident, and had separately received airplane-specific training. The accident flight was their first flight together. The pilot in command, and the pilot at the controls leading up to, and during the accident sequence could not be determined. The pilot's operating handbook stated that the only approved and demonstrated method for spin recovery was the deployment of the parachute recovery system.

    The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

    The pilots' failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin. The continued spin to the ground was a result of the pilots' failure to deploy the onboard parachute recovery system, for undetermined reasons.


    I've also found the NTSB record of the chute deployment failure that I wrote of earlier:

    NTSB Identification: NYC02LA071. The docket is stored on NTSB microfiche number DMS.
    14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
    Accident occurred Saturday, March 16, 2002 in Lexington, KY
    Probable Cause Approval Date: 4/17/03
    Aircraft: Cirrus Design Corp. SR-20, registration: N244CD
    Injuries: 2 Minor.
    The instrument rated pilot and passenger departed into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and intended to practice some instrument approaches. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot reported a turn coordinator failure. The turn coordinator indicated a left bank regardless of control inputs and the pilot became disoriented. The airplane was equipped with a Cirrus Airplane Parachute System (CAPS). The pilot stated he pulled the CAPS activation handle repeatedly; however, the cable did not extend and "nothing seemed to happen." The airplane broke out of the cloud layer, and the pilot performed an emergency landing to a field. Witnesses near the accident site reported that the CAPS parachute deployed after ground contact. Post accident testing of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact instrumentation, or autopilot failures. The CAPS system also functioned normally; however, it was noted that the pull forces to activate the CAPS parachute varied significantly.

    The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

    The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Factors in this accident were the undetermined failure of the turn coordinator, as reported by the pilot, and the instrument meteorological conditions.
     
  16. gabriel

    gabriel Formula 3

    No.

    This always was an amusing story in it's way.

    Back when they were flight testing the Cirrus for certification, the left aileron fell off the aircraft and the test pilot popped the CAPS.

    This was also the first deployment of the system on a Cirrus!
    The test pilot was lightly injured.
    These are those pictures.
     
  17. WILLIAM H

    WILLIAM H Three Time F1 World Champ

    Nov 1, 2003
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    Jeff, If you read this. I'm really glad you are OK.
     
  18. SSpray

    SSpray Karting

    Jan 9, 2004
    79
    CA, FL & TX, USA
    Full Name:
    R.M.R.
    Glad that turned out OK!
    Those small airplane crashes are never any fun!
    We put one down on PCH a few years ago.
     
  19. Bmyth-FDC

    Bmyth-FDC F1 Rookie

    Oct 4, 2002
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    Wow, I think I met this guy at the Cavallino Classic... thank goodness for the parachute! Man... last resort or not, the chute is a great addition!
    I'm glad nothing drastic or tragic occurred!

    Byron
     
  20. jeff512tr

    jeff512tr Formula Junior
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    Apr 21, 2004
    446
    Celebration, FL
    Gabriel
    CAPS has been used only three times, including me. The first occurred in Texas in 2002, when an aileron failure happened after the plane had just been in for maintenance. The pilot was uninjured, and the plane is flying today. It did NOT result in "significant destrcution" to the plane. The next deployment was in the Canadian Rockies, just 36 hours before mine, where the pilot had reportedly encountered severe turbulence over rugged terrain at night. All 4 passengers were uninjured.
    In my instance, I had also just picked up the plane from maintenance. Failures occurred at 700' in IMC. I walked away completely uninjured, and again the plane suffered relatively minor damage. Most damage resulted from the trees. The insurance company is considering flying the plane from FL to NC to get repaired. Harldy "significant destruction."
    These are the only 3 uses of CAPS. I can tell you I am very glad I was flying a Cirrus, and the CAPS system is the main reason I selected this aircraft.
     
  21. Ira Schwartz

    Ira Schwartz Formula 3
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    May 20, 2003
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    Jeff: Glad you emerged unscathed! Hope all's well.

    Ira
     
  22. Debbie

    Debbie Formula Junior

    Nov 2, 2003
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    Hi Jeff. Welcome to Ferrari Chat! :)
     
  23. Cavallino Motors

    Cavallino Motors F1 World Champ
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    May 31, 2001
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    Martin W.
    Good to see you here Jeff.
    Good to be reading/hearing you in the first place. I guess you have another birthday now :)
    Change the Cingular stickers on your track rat and put Cirrus on there :) Only a few letters to be changed :)
     
  24. Bertocchi

    Bertocchi Formula 3
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    Jan 28, 2004
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    David Castelhano
    Jeff, Happy to see you are OK! Martin, the car has always had a Cirrus sticker on both sides.
     
  25. Cavallino Motors

    Cavallino Motors F1 World Champ
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    Jeff's car is so fast it should have a parachute as well :)
     

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