Before the accident flight, the commercial pilot had conducted three flights, during which parachutists
were successfully dropped. After each flight, he returned the empty airplane to a dry grass airstrip (1,950
ft long) and conducted full-stop landings. Because the temperature was over 90° with high humidity, the
pilot requested that his manifests allow only up to 14 parachutists and a longer time between shutdowns
to ensure sufficient time for adequate engine cooling before the next flight. The pilot reported that popup
rain showers had been passing north and south of his base airport throughout the morning but that
they never came closer than 10 to 15 miles.
Category: WI
A Cessna 182L (182), the lead airplane, and a Cessna 185F (185), the trail airplane, collided during a
formation skydiving flight. Both pilots flew the airplanes in a rectangular pattern until they reached the
jump altitude of 12,700 ft mean sea level. The 182 pilot established a jump heading and visually
confirmed that the 185 was to the left side and aft of the 182. The 182 pilot then called out “door open”
and jumpers “climbing out.” Subsequently, the four skydivers on board the 182 climbed out onto the
airplane’s right wing strut and right wheel step. Almost immediately, the 182 was struck by the 185. The
182’s windshield was shattered, and the airplane entered an uncontrollable descent. During the descent,
the right wing separated from the airplane, and the right wing fuel tank exploded. The 182 pilot exited
the airplane and parachuted safely to the ground. The 185 pilot reported that “when it was time for the
skydivers to climb out, the two planes began to drift together and in seemingly no time at all, the two
were colliding.” After the collision, the skydivers on board the 185 jumped from the airplane as it
inverted; the pilot was able to recover the airplane and land.
Video of the collision from NBC News
DD.com Blog discussion.
The airplane experienced a total loss of engine power during a skydiving flight. After the pilot switched
the fuel tank selector from the left fuel tank to the right fuel tank position, the engine restarted. The pilot
continued the flight. While returning to the departure airport and preparing for landing, the pilot
switched the fuel tank selector back to the left fuel tank position because the fuel gauge indicated a
greater fuel quantity. About 1 minute later, the engine quit. The pilot landed the airplane left of the
intended runway, about 200 feet from its end, and the airplane flipped over and pivoted on its nose.
Examination of the airplane revealed that the left fuel tank vent system was obstructed with an unknown
substance. It is likely that the obstruction prevented fuel flow to the engine and resulted in a total loss of
engine power.
The pilot reported that the airplane floated during the landing flare, touched down long,
bounced, and went off the end of the runway. The airplane struck two ditches before coming to
rest on a road. The pilot stated that he should have recognized that braking action would be
significantly reduced with the possibility of hydroplaning, that pulling the power levers to the
stops before touchdown induced a lag in realization of reverse thrust, and that he should have
executed a go-around when the airplane floated before landing. No mechanical failures or
malfunctions of the airplane were reported. Heavy rain was reported about the time of the
accident at a nearby airport.
The pilot reported that there were no observed anomalies with the left wing prior to the flight. During the flight, which was conducted as a local parachute operation, the pilot performed a descending turn. The left wing’s aileron bound when the pilot attempted to level the bank. The pilot declared an emergency.
The parachute jump plane was substantially damaged when it collided with a parachutist on final approach for landing. The pilot was not able to maintain directional control and the airplane impacted trees and terrain near the airport. The pilot stated that he was on final approach for landing, when a parachutist “made a rapid descent and accelerated from behind [his] right wing.”