Horak Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Elberta, Alabama 36530
Saturday, November 8, 1997 13:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the loading of 17 parachutists, a 31-year-old male parachutist notified the loader/jump master that on his next jump he would have a smoke canister on the airplane and that the pilot should be notified. The loader/jump master told him, '...that to notify the pilot would be his (the loader's) job, that he [the parachutist] was just to board the aircraft.' The loader started boarding the jumpers and he went forward to give the pilot the information. The loader/jump master said, '...disregarding [his] the loaders instructions the subject walked from the rear left area and proceeded straight to the cockpit door where the loader and pilot were. In spite of several people hollering at him the subject walked into the left side engine propeller....'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a passenger's inadvertent encounter with a rotating propeller.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/8/1997
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1315
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ELBERTA
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36530
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HORAK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 7J9
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 110
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1258 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID MOB
Elevation of weather observation facility 3
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 1
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 17
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 609
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 13 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:41PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1022S
NTSB Number MIA98LA031
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name de Havilland
Aircraft Model DHC-6-6
Aircraft Series Identifier DHC-6-6
Aircraft Serial Number 79
Certified Max Gross Weight 11579
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 12
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 10 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 23552
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FAYARD ENTERPRISES INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address POB 703
Aircraft Owner City LOUISBURG
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27549
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EMERALD COAST SKYDIVING CENTER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 16646 CO RD 95
Operator City ELBERTA
Operator State AL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 36530
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 Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 7J9
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Standing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:41PM
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 --