Place holder until NTSB provides more in a preliminary report.
Category: C-U206
The pilot reported that, during the takeoff roll, the airplane encountered a gust of wind and veered left off the runway centerline. He added, that the airplane became airborne, but that he did not have “enough time” to avoid a parked helicopter. Subsequently, the left wing impacted the helicopter. He then reduced the engine power and the airplane landed without further incident.
On August 13, 2016, about 1100 central standard time, a Cessna TU206B airdrop configured airplane, N29225, registered to the pilot and operated by Gypsy Moth Skydive LLC of Benton, Kansas, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing after a loss of engine power while maneuvering in the vicinity of Skiatook, Oklahoma. All seven occupants, the private pilot and six passengers (parachutists), sustained minor injuries.
The pilot stated that he was conducting a skydiver “jump run”, and prior to letting the skydivers out the radio squelch interrupter failed causing a constant static noise. After letting the skydivers out over the airport the pilot set up the descent based on the winds acquired for the previous landing on runway 22. As he circled for landing the manifold pressure indication “dropped off” to zero.
On August 16, 2013, about 1730 central daylight time, a Cessna 206, N2070K, sustained minor damage inflight near Brooklyn, Iowa. The commercial pilot was not injured; however, the passenger was fatally injured.
The pilot stated that he departed the airport with six parachutists for a jump flight. As the airplane approached 1,000 feet above ground level, he noticed that the airplane wasn’t climbing. He checked the engine gauges and noticed that the engine analyzer was flashing “CHT” and the cylinder head temperature was 454 degrees F. As the pilot pitched the nose down and turned back to the airport, he heard a muffled “thud” sound and saw white smoke pour from the engine.
The pilot of a Piper L-4 airplane reported that shortly after he started the taxi roll from the parking area, he initiated a shallow turn toward the taxiway. As he reached the taxiway he steered to follow the centerline, however, the airplane continued to turn to the right. He reported, in part, that the left brake inputs were not responsive and the airplane continued to the right and collided with a standing occupied Cessna.
The pilot stated that while descending through 6,000 feet msl, the engine lost power. The pilot reported that when he enriched the mixture, the engine regained power. He stated that he left the mixture full rich; however, when the airplane was at 600 feet and turning to base, the engine lost power again.
The parachute jump flight’s airplane was at 3,700 feet MSL when the pilot cancelled the operation with the FAA approach controller without explanation. Witnesses observed the airplane trailing white and black smoke. One witness said he saw the airplane trailing black smoke with its engine making a banging sound. Three witnesses at the accident airport said the airplane had smoke and flames coming from the airplane’s cowl and along the windshield as it approached the airport.
A commercial plt was flying a group of parachutists for a skydiving club. The aircraft encountered turbulence during a climb to 4,500 feet agl. As the second jumper was exiting, the aircraft dropped and the parachutist struck the horizontal stabilizer. The outer four inches were bent downward and the assembly was pulled one inch from the fuselage. The plt made a normal landing and an inspection revealed some bulkhead damage in the tail section. The parachutist was not injured.
The plt was returning to the airport after transporting skydivers to altitude and while on final aprch he allowed the acft to stall & crash short of the rwy.
Both acft were operating in vfr conditions modified by slight haze, high overcast and low sun angle near airport. N6161m was performing lazy eight maneuvers in a normal practice area two miles east of airport; n8267q was in clockwise orbital descent for landing following a parachute jump plane. Radar data and witness informtion show that on east side of airport, n8267q deviated from orbit and proceeded southeast as n6161m completed north end of figure eight in right turn away from airport and proceeded south. Acft converged at about 30 degree closing angle with n6161m climbing and n8267q descending and collided at about 2500 ft agl.
The acft lost part of one blade of the propeller during the climb to cruise phase of operation. The passengers were skydivers so they used their parachutes in an exit of the acft as the airframe started to vibrate. The plt made a successful landing on the arpt without power. All the jumpers landed safety. Visual examination of the propeller showed that the blade had separated 10 to 12 inches outboard from the blade root. The fracture exhibited evidence typical of high cycle fatigue and overload stress.