Cirrus: A Sober Look

A series of accidents has tarred the reputation of what was supposed to be the safest GA airplane ever made. But is that an accurate picture? An honest look at the Cirrus accident record.

Editorial Staff

Friday, March 18, 2005 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

While the Cirrus aircraft's overall accident rate is comparable to general aviation, its fatal accident rate is significantly higher, with 45% of incidents resulting in fatalities, causing concern among insurers.
These fatal accidents are predominantly linked to pilot error and poor judgment—often by less experienced pilots attempting complex flights—rather than inherent design flaws of the aircraft.
To address this, the article concludes that Cirrus must prioritize enhanced pilot training focused on judgment and risk assessment to reduce fatal crashes and improve the aircraft's safety perception among insurers.

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An Aviation safety Magazine Special Report

When Cirrus announced more than a decade ago that it would produce an airplane with a built-in parachute and that it would become the best-selling airplane of the next century, the doubters said the FAA would never certify it. And even if it did, Cirrus would never be able to sell such a crackpot idea. Of course, the FAA did certify the airplane and Cirrus briefly overtookCessna last year as the leading builder of single-engine piston airplanes.