Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Deland Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Deland, Florida 32720
Monday, October 3, 2005 15:05 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airline transport certificated pilot with 10 skydiving passengers began a takeoff in a tailwheel-equipped and turboprop powered airplane on a CFR Part 91 skydiving flight. As the airplane started its climb, the pitch angle of the nose of the airplane increased until the airplane appeared to stall about 50 to 100 feet agl. It descended and impacted the runway in a left wing, nose low attitude. Several FAA inspectors responded to the accident site and documented the accident scene and the airplane systems. The inspectors reported that flight control continuity was established, and they noted that the stabilizer appeared to be in a nose-up trim position. Measurement of the stabilizer trim position equated to a 56.5 percent nose-up trim condition. The airplane's horizontal stabilizer trim system is electrical. An electric trim indicator, and a trim warning light were installed in the upper left portion of the instrument panel. The light will illuminate if "full-up" trim is set, and the engine is producing over 80 percent power. A placard stating, "Set Correct Trim for Takeoff," was installed on the lower instrument panel in front of the pilot position. The airplane's flight manual contains a "Before Takeoff" warning, which states, in part: "Warning - An extreme out-of-trim stabilizer can, in combination with loading, flaps position and power influence, result in an uncontrollable aircraft after the aircraft leaves the ground." In addition, a caution states, in part: "Caution - Failure to set correct trim settings will result in large control forces and/or unrequested pitching/yawing." Pilot actions listed in the "Before Takeoff" checklist include stabilizer trim settings. The airplane contained seat belts for all passengers, but the pilot's shoulder harness was not used, as it was folded and tie-wrapped near its upper attach point.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's incorrect setting of the stabilizer trim and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff initial climb, which resulted in a stall. A factor contributing to the accident was an inadvertent stall. A factor contributing to the severity of the pilot's injuries was his failure to utilize his shoulder harness.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/3/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1505 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Deland |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32720 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 290411N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0811722W |
| Event Location Airport | DeLand Municipal |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KDED |
| 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 | 79 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1453 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 65 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KDAB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 34 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 13 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2400 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 70 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 15 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.04 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 6 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 4 |
| Injury Total All | 10 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 22921 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Atlanta Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 3 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 30 2008 4:08PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA Orlando FSDO-15 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N7895J |
| NTSB Number | MIA06LA001 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Pilatus |
| Aircraft Model | PC-6/B2-H2 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 767 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 6173 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 7 |
| Airframe Hours | 6517 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Vertical Air Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2970 N. Shell Rd |
| Aircraft Owner City | DeLand |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32724 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Skydive Deland, Inc |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 2970 North Shell Rd |
| Operator City | Deland |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 32720 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| 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) | Skydiving |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | KDED |
| Departure City | Deland |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1505 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| 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 | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 27 2007 10:54AM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 05 |
| Runway Length | 3984 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |