Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 208 near Dunnellon, FL — 2016-10-14

Final reportERA17LA018
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Date
2016-10-14
Location
Dunnellon, FL, USA
Airport
X35
Aircraft
CESSNA 208
Registration
N208KM
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

The jumpmaster's failure to guard the reserve parachute ripcord, which caused an inadvertent deployment of his reserve parachute.

NTSB narrative

The airplane was at 1,250 ft above ground level carrying a load of skydivers. According to a skydiving instructor onboard the airplane, the jumpmaster leaned forward to assist a skydiver in exiting the airplane when the jumpmaster's reserve parachute inadvertently deployed and entered the airplane's slipstream. The jumpmaster attempted to pull the parachute back into the airplane but was pulled into the door frame and dragged out of the airplane. The jumpmaster, who appeared to be unconscious, descended to the ground beneath his streaming (unopened) reserve parachute without deploying his main parachute. The pilot maintained control of the airplane and landed safely. Examination of the jumpmaster's reserve parachute revealed that it was damaged by impact with the door frame, thus it did not deploy properly. It is likely that the jumpmaster failed to guard his reserve parachute ripcord, which was exposed on the front of his parachute, and the ripcord snagged on something as he attempted to assist the exiting skydiver, which caused the reserve parachute to deploy prematurely.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Jumpmaster should have exited immediately after reserve parachute deployed.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 5 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents5

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