WHITETHORN, CA – A family of three miraculously survived a crash landing in their small aircraft last week, thanks to the deployment of the plane’s parachute. The couple, both aged 38, and their two-year-old daughter escaped the incident with minor injuries, despite the plane crashing into a heavily forested area in Whitethorn, California.
The single-engine 2004 Cirrus SR22 lost engine power approximately five minutes post-takeoff. The pilot, noticing the low altitude and the impossibility of recovery, activated the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System. This system slowed the descent of the plane, allowing it to land among the trees rather than crash into them.
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office described the parachute deployment as a “last-resort effort.” However, this quick thinking likely saved the lives of the family. Nick Pape, the Chief of the Shelter Cove Fire Department, stated that survival odds without the parachute would have been slim.
Despite the rough landing, the family managed to exit the aircraft unassisted before the arrival of first responders. Their minor injuries are considered a stroke of luck, given the circumstances. Photos of the scene show the wrecked plane nestled among the trees, with the parachute entangled in the branches.
The family, residents of Santa Rosa, wished to remain anonymous. This incident marks the second small plane crash that the local fire department has responded to within a year, with the previous one occurring in July when a plane crashed into the ocean.
Tags: plane crash, parachute, survival, Whitethorn, California, Cirrus SR22, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, Shelter Cove Fire Department