The commercial pilot reported that, during a skydiving flight, the engine experienced a total loss of
power during final approach for landing. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a field, and during the
landing sequence, the airplane impacted a tree.
No fuel was observed in the fuel tanks or fuel lines during recovery of the wreckage. Postaccident
examination revealed no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal
operation of the airplane. The company fuel log indicated that about 18.2 gallons of useable fuel were
onboard the accident airplane before the first flight of the day; the accident occurred during the third
flight.
Category: WA
The pilot was returning a group of skydivers to their home base after a weekend of skydiving. He flew several jump flights, and then stopped early in the afternoon to prepare the airplane for the flight home. The flight was planned into an area of clouds, turbulence, and icing, which the pilot had researched. He delayed the departure until he decided that he could complete the planned flight under visual flight rules (VFR).
According to the pilot, she dropped her load of skydivers and was coming in for a landing. She “could see fog rolling in fast” and knew she “had to get…on the ground.” She “landed at a higher speed which is normally fine but because of the runway conditions, which were slick, [she] had minimal braking and ran out of runway.”
After completing a flight with a load of skydivers, the pilot “dipped” the left tank and it indicated 15 gallons of fuel. He then flew another flight to 3,500 feet MSL and started his descent. The pilot reduced power to 1,600 rpm and 16 inches of manifold pressure, and applied full carburetor heat. As the aircraft was approaching pattern altitude, approximately 1,000 AGL, the engine quit without warning.
The pilot reported that she taxied the aircraft to the grass covered run-up area in preparation for takeoff. As the aircraft moved over the grass, a ‘snapping’ sound was heard and the aircraft ’tilted back and to the right.’ The right wing and right side stabilizer contacted the ground.