- The Cirrus SR22’s engine failed minutes into the flight from Whitehorn to Santa Rosa
- On board were the pilot Artem Konokuk, 38, his partner and their daughter, two
- They miraculously escaped with only cuts and bruises after the chute was triggered
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A Nevada couple and their two-year-old daughter have miraculously survived a horror plane crash by deploying a parachute from the plane over California.
The young family escaped with just cuts and bruises after their Cirrus lost power just five minutes after their escape from Shelter Cove in Whitethorn.
On board was the pilot Artem Kononuk with his 38-year-old partner and their two-year-old daughter, who has not been named.
Realizing that the 20-year-old plane didn’t have the height to get over the hills, the businessman from Reno, Nevada, pulled the handle on the built-in chute.
A family of three on board this Cirrus SR22 light aircraft escaped with cuts and bruises
The four-seater plane came to rest in a tree before crashing to the ground upside down
The frame of the light aircraft had been torn up by the impact despite the parachute
“These are usually worst-case scenarios,” said Quincy Cromer of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.
‘The fact that they only had minor scratches and scrapes is a miracle.’
The young family was making the 170-mile journey down the coast to Santa Rosa, where they own a home, when the only engine died at 1:15 p.m. Friday.
“The pilot began to troubleshoot why the aircraft lost engine power, but had noticed that the aircraft’s altitude was too low to recover,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
‘At this point the pilot deployed the aircraft’s Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) which slowed the aircraft decent.
‘The fender carried the aircraft until it eventually crashed into trees in a heavily wooded area on the Yellow Road in Whitethorn.’
However, the family’s ordeal was far from over as the plane had come to rest in the branches of a tree 100 feet above the forest floor.
They somehow managed to climb free and climb down the tree without bringing it down abruptly balanced planes down with them.
Rescuers crawling through the woods arrived to find the family nursing their injuries on the ground, the 2,200-pound plane now crumpled and upside down on the ground next to them.
Its tail was completely detached and the life-saving parachute was still in the treetop above.
Rescuers feared the worst as they fought their way through dense forest to reach the family
The life-saving parachute was still in the treetop when they reached the scene
The aircraft manufacturer has installed parachutes on its four-seat SR22s since 1998, and it was successfully deployed in 107 emergency situations worldwide between then and 2021.
Company co-founder Alan Klapmeier decided to develop full-chute parachutes after surviving a mid-air collision in 1985, and he was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame ten years ago in recognition of his efforts.
“The coordinated response of our other emergency response organizations and the quick action of witnesses played a critical role in locating and ensuring the safety of those involved in this incident, including extinguishing a small fire,” said a spokesperson for the Shelter Cove Fire Department.
‘This is extremely steep and difficult terrain. Even with the parachute, the parties involved were extremely lucky to receive only minor injuries.
‘We are grateful for the professionalism and dedication shown by everyone involved.’
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident.