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.
Category: East Moriches
The airplane took off with its third lift of skydivers for the day. The engine began to run roughly at rotation, and due to the speed of the airplane, and the lack of remaining runway, the pilot elected to continue the takeoff. The pilot initially turned toward a public roadway for a forced landing, but the airplane continued to climb under partial power, so he maneuvered back to the airport for a downwind landing on the runway.