According to the pilot, he leveled the airplane at 8,500 feet for a tandem skydive. When the instructor
exited the airplane, the nose pitched up, then the airplane pitched over into a right, descending turn. The
pilot assessed the situation and determined that the right horizontal stabilizer was bent. He later
determined that the instructor’s drogue chute became trapped under the flap handle, resulting in a
premature deployment of the parachute. The drogue chute then caught the horizontal stabilizer, resulting
in a 45-degree downward bend. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures
with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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C-182D Non-Fatal East Moriches, NY May 17, 2013
According to the pilot, he leveled the airplane at 8,500 feet for a tandem skydive. When the instructor
exited the airplane, the nose pitched up, then the airplane pitched over into a right, descending turn. The
pilot assessed the situation and determined that the right horizontal stabilizer was bent. He later
determined that the instructor’s drogue chute became trapped under the flap handle, resulting in a
premature deployment of the parachute. The drogue chute then caught the horizontal stabilizer, resulting
in a 45-degree downward bend. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures
with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.