Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bowling Green, Missouri 63334
Saturday, December 17, 1994 15:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF WITH FOUR PARACHUTISTS ON BOARD. AFTER REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF 11,000 FEET, ONE PARACHUTIST EXITED THE AIRPLANE. AS THE SECOND PARACHUTIST WAS EXITING, HIS RESERVE PARACHUTE DEPLOYED PULLING HIM TOWARD THE REAR OF THE AIRPLANE. THE PARACHUTE CANOPY WENT OVER THE TOP OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND THE PARACHUTIST WENT UNDER THE STABILIZER. THE RESERVE PARACHUTE SUSPENSION LINES SLIPPED OFF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. THE PARACHUTIST THEN OPENED THE MAIN PARACHUTE AND MADE A SUCCESSFUL DESCENT/LANDING. HOWEVER, THE STABILIZER AND EMPENNAGE WERE DAMAGED AND THE ELEVATOR WAS JAMMED. THE PILOT INSTRUCTED THE REMAINING PARACHUTISTS TO EXIT THE AIRPLANE. ALTHOUGH THE ELEVATOR WAS JAMMED, THE PILOT MANAGED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE IN A PLOWED CORN FIELD USING POWER AND AILERON CONTROL. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING GEAR AND PROPELLER WERE DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT THE DESIGN OF THE RESERVE PARACHUTE CABLE HOUSING WAS INADEQUATE (NOT ADEQUATELY SECURED), WHICH ALLOWED THE CABLE TO BE PULLED PREMATURELY. THE PARACHUTE MANUFACTURER (PARACHUTE INDUSTRY OF SOUTH AFRICA) AGREED TO REDESIGN THE HOUSING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE DESIGN OF THE RESERVE PARACHUTE CABLE HOUSING, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE PARACHUTE, AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH, AND JAMMING OF, THE AIRCRAFT'S HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, NECESSITATING A FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/17/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BOWLING GREEN
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 63334
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1252 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 3
Weather Observation Facility ID UIN
Elevation of weather observation facility 769
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1706
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 17 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1545
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:44PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6090B
NTSB Number CHI95LA060
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182A
Aircraft Series Identifier 182A
Aircraft Serial Number 34090
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 18 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 108
Airframe Hours 6672
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PIKE AIR SERVICES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 2, BOX 262
Aircraft Owner City BOWLING GREEN
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63334
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SKYDIVE ST. LOUIS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT 2, BOX 262
Operator City BOWLING GREEN
Operator State MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 63334
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code H19
Departure City
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --