Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Green Sea, South Carolina 29545
Saturday, July 4, 1998 16:51 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the FAA, the skydiver was standing on the strut preparing to jump when his pilot parachute opened and wrapped around the tail section of the airplane. The skydiver was pulled from the strut and into the empennage section. He impacted the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator, causing substantial damage to the tail. The skydiver was fatally injured. The airplane was landed, using the elevator trim, without further incident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The inadvertent activation of the skydivers pilot chute, pulling him into the horizontal stabilizer/elevator, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/4/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1651
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GREEN SEA
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29545
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 7
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 2
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1645 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 175
Weather Observation Facility ID MYR
Elevation of weather observation facility 235
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 25
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1664
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 467
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 4 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1920
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2001 11:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7247E
NTSB Number ATL98LA092
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 182
Aircraft Series Identifier 182
Aircraft Serial Number 52247
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 7 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 2905
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SCOTT SMITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3333 MT. OLIVE CHURCH RD
Aircraft Owner City GREEN SEA
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29545
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BRIAN STRONG
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3333 MT. OLIVE CHURCH ROAD
Operator City GREEN SEA
Operator State SC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 29545
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 S79
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2001 6:29PM
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 --