Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Silvana, Washington
Sunday, August 21, 1983 18:32 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS ON A SPORT PARACHUTE FLT TO CARRY 24 PARACHUTISTS TO 12,500' OVER A DROP ZONE (DZ) FOR A MASS JUMP. IT WAS IN A CARGO CONFIGURATION WITH NO PASSENGER SEATS, BUT IT HAD 1 JUMP SEAT. THERE WERE 24 SEAT BELTS ON THE FLOOR OF THE CARGO AREA. ALSO, THE CABIN DOOR HAD BEEN REMOVED & AN UNAPPROVED STEP & 4 HANDHOLDS WERE INSTALLED OUTSIDE & FORWARD OF THE CABIN DOOR FOR PARACHUTISTS. THE USUAL JUMP-RUN PROCEDURE WAS FOR THE ACFT TO BE SLOWED TO 95 TO 100 KTS, EXTEND THE GEAR & APCH FLAPS & REDUCE POWER ON THE LEFT ENG. THE JUMPERS REMAINED IN POSITION WITHOUT USING SEAT BELTS UNTIL APCHG THE DZ, THEN 2 MOVED OUTSIDE THE ACFT WHILE OTHERS MOVED CLOSE TO THE DOORWAY. THE 1ST JUMPERS WERE UNAWARE OF ANYPROBLEM, BUT SAW THE ACFT ENTER A STEEP BANK, ROLL OVER & SPIRAL NOSE DOWN. 16 JUMPERS EXITED THE ACFT, BUT 3 HIT THE STABILIZER. THE ACFT CRASHED IN A NEAR VERTICAL DSCNT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE CG WAS BEHIND THE AFT LIMIT FOR TAKEOFF & THE JUMP. THE ELEVATOR TRIM ACTUATOR WAS FOUND IN A POSITION FOR FULL NOSE-UP TRIM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/21/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1832
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SILVANA
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID S88
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 280
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 1800 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID PAE
Elevation of weather observation facility 150
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 190
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 11
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 13
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 13
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3309
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23839
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N116CA
NTSB Number DCA83AA036
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LOCKHEED
Aircraft Model LEARSTAR, L-18-56
Aircraft Series Identifier LEARSTAR,
Aircraft Serial Number 2472
Certified Max Gross Weight 22500
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 3
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COMMAND AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1828 N.W. RALEIGH
Aircraft Owner City PORTLAND
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name LANDRY AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 18528 AURORA AVE. NO.
Operator City SEATTLE
Operator State WA
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code 98133
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code S88
Departure City ARLINGTON
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1805
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 8 2001 4:44PM
User who most recently changed record JOHB
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 --