Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Point, Virginia 23156
Saturday, August 1, 2009 19:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a skydiving flight at approximately 14,000 feet, an instructor positioned himself at the door opening with his jump student nearby. The student inadvertently pulled the instructor's reserve parachute D-ring, deploying the chute and pulling the instructor out of the airplane. The instructor contacted the left horizontal stabilizer then descended toward the ground coming to rest suspended in a tree by his parachute.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The inadvertent deployment of the instructor's reserve parachute.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/1/2009
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City West Point
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 23156
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 373117N
Event Location Longitude 0764546W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1902 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID FYJ
Elevation of weather observation facility 20
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.03
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 6
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 27311
NTSB Notification Source FAA Eastern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 17 2010 11:22AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1999G
NTSB Number ERA09LA435
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model B90
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number LJ-319
Certified Max Gross Weight 9650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 14
Total number of seats on the aircraft 15
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jul 17 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 10955
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name FAYARD ENTERPRISES LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 703
Aircraft Owner City LOUISBURG
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27549-0703
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Rampart Aviation, Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6966 NC 56 HWY
Operator City Franklinton
Operator State NC
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 27525
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 --
Departure City West Point
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code FYJ
Destination City West Point
Destination State VA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 5 2010 2:31PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --