UNCTUOUS
1st Jul 2003, 17:46
But this one’s No Mystery at all. - See Accident Narrative Below in blue
Easily explained. When I was meatbombing back in the 70's I had a similar circumstance twice (also in a Cessna 185 [tailwheel equipped C182] either VH-RER or VH-RDU). As well as the door, they take the seats out of the back of the Cessna 182/185 for parachuting. That unfortunately leaves a lot of attachment points and safety pins and cleats upon which ripcords and bungees can catch because the jumpers pack in on the floor and at least three get to lean against the back wall. I’ve twice seen someone come rapidly off the back wall to make a mass exit for a formation and their chutes deploy inside the cabin, as they disappear out the door. It’s like a sudden white snowstorm that whips around the whole interior. If you’re lucky, like I was twice, the chute and ripcords catch on nothing and the individual gets a clean chute. After the first time, I realized the hazards and started wearing a Slimpack for meatbombing. I gave up that sport after I got conned into letting a jumper drop out over an oval near his house on the way back to dropping the plane off at Jandakot. Unfortunately the door was back on and he got hooked up on the door after jumping off the step. Instead of dropping off over the oval near his house he eventually got unhooked and dropped off over the skyscrapers of the central business district. I never hung around to find out what happened to him - and it didn’t make the news.
In this instance I’d suggest that a chute popped and the wearer wasn’t on exit at the time and was trying to clear the ripcords and allow the pilot to see.. It would be instant IFR for the pilot and the chute and lines would have easily fouled the RH control column which is more often than not left in situ for para-dropping. I’d guess that the small pilot drogue chute went out the door and the RH control column would’ve been pulled to full backstick. And that would explain the a/c’s observed final gyrations.
Ain’t it amazing how many things in aviation can kill you. This scenario must have been played out thousands of times before. Sometimes they get lucky, sometimes they get to pay the piper.. The answer is to recognize the likelihood and, after the seats come out, to tape over all the things that can catch bungees and ripcords.
NTSB Identification: FTW03FA174
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, June 21, 2003 in Cushing, OK
Aircraft: Cessna 182H, registration: N8548S
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Serious, 2 Minor, 1 Uninjured.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On June 21, 2003, approximately 1630 central daylight time, a Cessna 182H airdrop modified single-engine airplane, N8548S, was destroyed when it impacted terrain following a loss of control while conducting an airdrop for parachutists in the vicinity of Cushing, Oklahoma. The commercial pilot was fatally injured, two parachutists were seriously injured, two parachutists received minor injuries, and one parachutist was not injured. The airplane was owned and operated by Oklahoma Skydiving Center of Cushing, Oklahoma. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 parachute activity flight. The local flight departed the Cushing Municipal Airport (CUH) approximately 1600.
Several witnesses, who were observing the flight from its beginning, stated that the airplane was at an altitude of approximately 3,500-4,000 feet when the first parachutist exited the airplane. The airplane continued on a south heading for a few seconds as the parachutists canopy opened. The airplane then went slightly "upward then out of control in a counter clockwise spin." Shortly after the airplane went into a spin the witnesses observed a second parachutist exit the airplane, and seconds later observed a third parachutist exit the airplane. According to one of the witnesses, approximately 300 to 400 feet AGL, the engine "revved up" but continued in a flat spin until impact.
A police officer, who was video taping the event for his friend who was the first parachutist to exit the airplane, observed the plane bank to the left after his friend exited the airplane. The officer continued video taping his friend and heard someone say that something was wrong with the airplane. He looked up at the airplane and observed that the plane was in a "nose dive" and "spinning toward the ground." As the airplane was spinning toward the ground, he observed two parachutists exit the airplane. Once the airplane descended to tree line level, the witness heard what sounded like the engine revving.
Examination of the wreckage showed evidence that the airplane impacted the ground in a relatively flat attitude. The cabin section of the fuselage was crushed downward and empennage and wings were twisted consistent with counter-clockwise rotational forces at impact. The propeller blades displayed forward twisting and bending opposite the direction of rotation.
The aircraft came to rest on a heading of 220 degrees at an elevation of 878 feet, as measured by GPS. The mishap site was located 0.5 nautical miles southwest of the approach end of Runway 36.
Easily explained. When I was meatbombing back in the 70's I had a similar circumstance twice (also in a Cessna 185 [tailwheel equipped C182] either VH-RER or VH-RDU). As well as the door, they take the seats out of the back of the Cessna 182/185 for parachuting. That unfortunately leaves a lot of attachment points and safety pins and cleats upon which ripcords and bungees can catch because the jumpers pack in on the floor and at least three get to lean against the back wall. I’ve twice seen someone come rapidly off the back wall to make a mass exit for a formation and their chutes deploy inside the cabin, as they disappear out the door. It’s like a sudden white snowstorm that whips around the whole interior. If you’re lucky, like I was twice, the chute and ripcords catch on nothing and the individual gets a clean chute. After the first time, I realized the hazards and started wearing a Slimpack for meatbombing. I gave up that sport after I got conned into letting a jumper drop out over an oval near his house on the way back to dropping the plane off at Jandakot. Unfortunately the door was back on and he got hooked up on the door after jumping off the step. Instead of dropping off over the oval near his house he eventually got unhooked and dropped off over the skyscrapers of the central business district. I never hung around to find out what happened to him - and it didn’t make the news.
In this instance I’d suggest that a chute popped and the wearer wasn’t on exit at the time and was trying to clear the ripcords and allow the pilot to see.. It would be instant IFR for the pilot and the chute and lines would have easily fouled the RH control column which is more often than not left in situ for para-dropping. I’d guess that the small pilot drogue chute went out the door and the RH control column would’ve been pulled to full backstick. And that would explain the a/c’s observed final gyrations.
Ain’t it amazing how many things in aviation can kill you. This scenario must have been played out thousands of times before. Sometimes they get lucky, sometimes they get to pay the piper.. The answer is to recognize the likelihood and, after the seats come out, to tape over all the things that can catch bungees and ripcords.
NTSB Identification: FTW03FA174
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, June 21, 2003 in Cushing, OK
Aircraft: Cessna 182H, registration: N8548S
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Serious, 2 Minor, 1 Uninjured.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On June 21, 2003, approximately 1630 central daylight time, a Cessna 182H airdrop modified single-engine airplane, N8548S, was destroyed when it impacted terrain following a loss of control while conducting an airdrop for parachutists in the vicinity of Cushing, Oklahoma. The commercial pilot was fatally injured, two parachutists were seriously injured, two parachutists received minor injuries, and one parachutist was not injured. The airplane was owned and operated by Oklahoma Skydiving Center of Cushing, Oklahoma. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 parachute activity flight. The local flight departed the Cushing Municipal Airport (CUH) approximately 1600.
Several witnesses, who were observing the flight from its beginning, stated that the airplane was at an altitude of approximately 3,500-4,000 feet when the first parachutist exited the airplane. The airplane continued on a south heading for a few seconds as the parachutists canopy opened. The airplane then went slightly "upward then out of control in a counter clockwise spin." Shortly after the airplane went into a spin the witnesses observed a second parachutist exit the airplane, and seconds later observed a third parachutist exit the airplane. According to one of the witnesses, approximately 300 to 400 feet AGL, the engine "revved up" but continued in a flat spin until impact.
A police officer, who was video taping the event for his friend who was the first parachutist to exit the airplane, observed the plane bank to the left after his friend exited the airplane. The officer continued video taping his friend and heard someone say that something was wrong with the airplane. He looked up at the airplane and observed that the plane was in a "nose dive" and "spinning toward the ground." As the airplane was spinning toward the ground, he observed two parachutists exit the airplane. Once the airplane descended to tree line level, the witness heard what sounded like the engine revving.
Examination of the wreckage showed evidence that the airplane impacted the ground in a relatively flat attitude. The cabin section of the fuselage was crushed downward and empennage and wings were twisted consistent with counter-clockwise rotational forces at impact. The propeller blades displayed forward twisting and bending opposite the direction of rotation.
The aircraft came to rest on a heading of 220 degrees at an elevation of 878 feet, as measured by GPS. The mishap site was located 0.5 nautical miles southwest of the approach end of Runway 36.