The pilot of the Cessna Skycatcher deployed a parachute which saved his life. The airplane had a parachute of its own that did not deploy and investigators are searching for the cause.

Seamus Lichlighter says he watched the pilot put the plane in stall maneuvers then pull out.

"When you see somebody come out with a chute on you know something's wrong," said Lichliter.

Butler County residents are accustomed to watching test pilots fly experimental planes.

The Cessna 162 Skycatcher is in flight tests for FAA certification. The plane has what is called a "Ballistic Recovery System", or BRS, which deploys a parachute and allows the pilot and his plane to safely float back to the ground.

Cessna spokesman Doug Oliver says they aren't sure why the BRS parachute didn't deploy but says the BRS company's safety director is in Wichita trying to find out.

The parachutes are being offered as an option on the Skycatcher and might be available on two other single-engine Cessnas.

The BRS chutes are deployed with a rocket that releases them, which might explain why Butler County witnesses thought they heard fireworks and saw sparks.

These BRS parachutes have been around for several years. According to the company's website, there have been 214 documented life savings from them to date.