WITCHDOCTOR-
In this country jump pilots tend to only where emergency 'chutes if the aircraft they are flying is considered to have a higher risk of a tail strike (by a jumper.)
In the case of a L410, imagine trying to get out from the flight deck back to the door (left rear) or in this case, out of the hole in the tail. With aircraft presumably in a vertical dive and if the wing also came off, rotating rapidly, I can't see how it woud have been possible. Anyway, assuming the aircraft achieved over 300 kts straight down from FL130, they would have had about 20 secs to impact, so they wouldn't have had time.
I fly for a parachute club myself and have thought what would happen if one of them took the tail out (either with themselves or with a accidently deployed reserve canapy etc). Just pointing out that I don't think wearing rigs would have saved the pilots. Besides, I understand that there were more skydivers inside who didn't get out.
I wonder what effect this accident is going to have on the operation of L410's worldwide?
RIP those who lost their lives doing what they loved.....