NYC05LA110
On June 30, 2005, about 1640 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus Design Corp.
SR-22, N3452L, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, after the
pilot became incapacitated during cruise flight near Haverstraw, New York. The
certificated private pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological
conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed
for the flight that departed the Lincoln Park Airport (N07), Lincoln Park, New
Jersey, destined for the Westchester County Airport (HPN), White Plains, New
York. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot reported he was in cruise flight at 3,000 feet, when he suffered a
seizure and lost consciousness. When the pilot awakened, the airplane was in a
high speed descent. In addition, the pilot felt disoriented, and numbness in
his right leg. The airplane was equipped with a Cirrus Airplane Parachute
System (CAPS). The pilot recovered from the descent at an altitude of about
1,700 feet; and elected to deploy the CAPS system. The pilot did not recall the
airplane's airspeed at the time of the CAPS deployment.
The airplane descended via the parachute, and impacted the Hudson River, near
Bowline Point Park, about 15 miles northwest of HPN.
According to radar data, the airplane's last radar target was observed at
1640:25, at an altitude of 1,600 feet, a heading of 091 degrees, and a ground
speed of 195 knots.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the underside of the composite
fuselage. The pilot sustained a fractured vertebra and was able to egress from
the airplane before it sank to a depth of about 30 feet.
The pilot stated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the
airplane.
Subsequent medical examinations on the pilot revealed the presence of a brain
tumor. The pilot's most recent Federal Aviation Administration third class
medical certificate was issued on August 11, 2004, with the only limitation
that the pilot wear glasses or contact lenses.