The airplane departed on a parachute jump flight with the airline transport pilot seated in the rear cockpit
and two parachutists standing outside on the lower wing. About 200 ft above ground level, the pilot
sensed a loss of engine power and the airplane stopped climbing. The airplane descended, and the pilot
conducted an off-airport forced landing to a flat, open, muddy field about 1,600 ft north of the airport,
during which the main landing gear separated from the airframe. A postaccident examination of the
airplane revealed no anomalies. Review of weather information for the area at the time of the accident
indicated that conditions were conducive to the accumulation of serious icing at glide power settings;
however, the airplane was operating at takeoff power at the time of the accident, and the reason for the
loss of engine power could not be determined.
Category: KS
As a skydiver was exiting the airplane, his parachute inadvertently deployed and struck the
right horizontal stabilizer. He deployed his reserve parachute and landed without further
incident. After all the skydivers had exited the airplane, the pilot saw that the right horizontal
stabilizer and elevator were damaged. After an uneventful landing, postaccident examination
revealed the right stabilizer spar was bent.
The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with trees and terrain during a forced landing to a field following an in-flight loss of engine power. Skydivers had been dropped prior to the loss of engine power and the pilot reported no injuries. The pilot stated, “I climbed to 11000 [feet.] Was not getting usual climb rate. Before decent found I could not close cowl flaps. Decended to 6000 feet. Noticed eratic raise on manifold gage.