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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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September 29, 2002 · Cessna 182 · N5337B

Estacada, OR

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
September 29, 2002
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (5 uninjured)
Location
Estacada, OR
Aircraft
Cessna 182
Tail Number
N5337B
Operator
Skydive
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
SEA02LA184

While the aircraft was level at 10,500 feet above sea level (MSL), four skydivers took their positions on the right exterior jump-step of the aircraft. Just after the last jumper was on the step, the parachute of one of the jumpers inadvertently deployed and streamed back into the aircraft's tail surfaces. Soon thereafter, the subject jumper separated himself from the deployed parachute, jumped from the aircraft, and opened his reserve chute. At about the same time, the other three jumpers also departed the aircraft. Although the pilot attempted to control the aircraft, he found that with the parachute wrapped around the tail surfaces, the rudder and elevator did not respond to his control inputs. He therefore applied a small amount of right rudder in an attempt to separate the parachute from the aircraft, but the airplane responded by pitching nose down and entering what appeared to the pilot to be an inverted spin. At that point, the pilot also jumped from the aircraft and successfully opened his parachute, and the aircraft continued to spin inverted until it impacted the terrain.

NTSB Probable Cause

The entanglement of an inadvertently opened skydiver's parachute in the aircraft’s elevator and rudder just after a group of four skydivers positioned themselves on the aircraft's external jump platform prior to a jump.

Full Narrative

On September 28, 2002, approximately 1845 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 182, N5337B, impacted the terrain during an uncontrolled descent about three miles northwest of Estacada, Oregon. The private pilot and the four skydivers he took aloft were not injured, but the aircraft, which is owned and operated by Skydive Incorporated of Eagle Creek, Oregon, was destroyed. The 14 CFR Part 91 skydiving release flight, which departed Beaver Oaks Airport, Estacada, Oregon, about 15 minutes earlier, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. There was no report of an ELT transmission. According to the pilot, after leveling at 10,500 feet above sea level (MSL), all four jumpers took their positions on the right exterior jump-step of the aircraft. Just after the last jumper was on the step, the parachute of one of the jumpers inadvertently deployed and streamed back into the aircraft's tail surfaces. Soon thereafter, the subject jumper separated himself from the deployed parachute, jumped from the aircraft, and opened his reserve chute. At about the same time, the other three jumpers also departed the aircraft. Although the pilot attempted to control the aircraft, he found that with the parachute wrapped around the tail surfaces, the rudder and elevator did not respond to his control inputs. He therefore applied a small amount of right rudder in an attempt to separate the parachute from the aircraft, but the airplane responded by pitching nose down and entering what appeared to the pilot to be an inverted spin. At that point, the pilot also jumped from the aircraft and successfully opened his parachute, and the aircraft continued to spin inverted until it impacted the terrain.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time18:45 PDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 182
Tail NumberN5337B
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorSkydive
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · O-470-S · Reciprocating · 230
Seats1

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (5 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured5
Total5
Crew 1Age 23 · Third Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point70 F / 43 C
Altimeter29.73 inHg
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data