Festus Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Valmeyer, Illinois 62295
Saturday, June 14, 2014 14:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot's report, he leveled the airplane about 11,000 feet and established a speed of 80 mph with 10 degrees of flaps extended. When the last skydiver exited the airplane, its nose pitched up. The pilot pushed forwarded on the control wheel and added full engine power. He experienced "difficulties" in pushing the control wheel forward and thought a parachute caused the control issue. The pilot subsequently used full nose down trim to assist his control of the airplane. A witness in a chase airplane confirmed the bent right horizontal stabilizer. The pilot assessed the deteriorating flight control situation. He decided to jump out of the airplane over farmland and use his emergency parachute there. The pilot observed the accident airplane spiral down as he descended under his parachute. A skydiver reported there were no mechanical malfunctions up to the time he exited and the last skydiver confirmed that his reserve canopy had deployed prematurely as he was leaving the step. The pilot reported no other mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The inadvertent deployment of the skydiver's drogue chute when he exited the airplane, resulting in it contacting and damaging the horizontal stabilizer.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/14/2014
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Valmeyer
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 62295
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 381511N
Event Location Longitude 0901906W
Event Location Airport FESTUS MEMORIAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FES
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 42
Airport Elevation 433
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1353 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 22
Weather Observation Facility ID KCPS
Elevation of weather observation facility 413
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 16
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.02
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KCPS 141853Z 15011G16KT 10SM CLR 26/10 A3002 RMK A
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 32972
NTSB Notification Source FAA-AGL-ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 30 2014 1:05PM
User who most recently changed record male
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5172D
NTSB Number CEN14CA289
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 51272
Certified Max Gross Weight 2348
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 11 2014 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 7706
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COOK AVIATION LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City LAQUEY
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 655347519
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Fly Free Skydiving
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Festus
Operator State MO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 63028
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 No
Departure Airport Code FES
Departure City FESTUS
Departure State MO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code FES
Destination City FESTUS
Destination State MO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 10 2014 12:19PM
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 --