Ballistic Chutes Save Lives

Five People are alive today as a result of two incidents when aircraft parachutes, known as ballistic chutes were deployed in an emergency situation. The first time was last October near Dallas, Texas.

About ten in the morning on an early April day, 41 year-old Jeffrey Ippoliti of Celebration, FL, took off from Fort Lauderdale Executive airport on his way to Palm Beach. About six mile north of the field he reported mechanical difficulties and a short time later his engine failed. Ippoliti deployed the parachute and the aircraft settled in trees at Hampton Pines Park. The aircraft was only slightly damaged on the way down. Ippoliti walked away from the scene.

A few days later, Cnadian pilot Albert Kolk was cruising at about ten thousand feet when he encountered severe turbulence over the mountains of British Columbia. Kolk later said one wing dropped and the aircraft started to get out of control. Kolk was unable to recover and he pulled the chute at about 9,000 feet. On the way down he notified a passing airliner of his location and waited for the aircraft to settle to the ground. Kolk said the aircraft suffered considerable damage, but he and his three passengers stepped out of the plane and walked away from the wreckage.