Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Tampa North Aero Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Tampa, Florida 33549
Saturday, October 19, 2013 13:50 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that he briefed the planned jump with the parachutists before departure during a festival and that the parachutists were supposed to jump after reaching 2,800 feet mean sea level (msl). About 30 minutes before the jump, the right-wing parachutist requested to depart from the right wing rather than the front seat; the pilot and left-wing parachutist agreed. The preflight brief did not address whether or not the parachutists would drift over the crowd at the airfield or not. During takeoff, the two parachutists were standing on the lower wing to the left and right of the cockpit and gripping the handhold on the upper wing surface. They were not wearing safety harnesses. The pilot reported that when the airplane was climbing through about 1,000 feet msl, the right-wing parachutist departed the airplane in a “stable and controlled jump posture” but before the planned jump altitude of 2,800 feet. The pilot entered a left turn, gained visual contact with the parachutist, and saw the parachute canopy open before the parachutist impacted the ground. The pilot returned to the airpark without further incident.
Forensic toxicology samples taken from the accident parachutist were negative for drugs, alcohol, and carbon monoxide. Examination of the airframe, engine, and parachute systems revealed no preaccident mechanical malfunction or anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. It could not be determined why the right wing parachutist departed the airplane before the planned jump altitude or why he delayed opening his parachute canopy, which resulted in his subsequent impact with trees and terrain.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The parachutist’s low altitude departure from the right wing before the planned altitude and his delayed opening of his parachute canopy, which resulted in impact with a tree and then the ground before the parachute fully opened.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/19/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1350 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Tampa |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33549 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 280104N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0822030W |
| Event Location Airport | Tampa North Aero Park |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | X39 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 280 |
| Airport Elevation | 68 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1355 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KZPH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 90 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 12 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 9500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4200 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 31 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 240 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.9 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32927 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern C-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 29 2014 3:28PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N65355 |
| NTSB Number | ERA14LA011 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | None |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BOEING |
| Aircraft Model | B75N1 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 75-6512 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3200 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | 0 |
| Passenger Seats | 0 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 18 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 20 |
| Airframe Hours | 2836 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CARVER CLARENCE K |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | LUTZ |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 335596294 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Ben T. Foster |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Tampa |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 33688 |
| 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) | Air Race/Show |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | X39 |
| Departure City | Tampa |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1350 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | X39 |
| Destination City | Tampa |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 29 2014 3:29PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| 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 | -- |