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19940730029929I

Incident
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FAA incident report · Beech 6580 · Beaumont, TX · July 30, 1994

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 30, 1994 · 18:15 local
Place
Beaumont, TX
Phase of flight
Parachute Jumping
Operating rules
Parachute jumping (Part 105)
Aircraft
N9NK
Reported as
Beech 6580
People aboard
9
Fatal injuries
1
N9NKRegistered now · Beech C-45HS/N AF-505Airframe modelBeech C-45HEngine modelPratt & Whitney R-985 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Narrative: on 30 July 1994 at 1815 local CST, subject skydiver exited aircraft N9NK, a Beech 65-80, at 13,000' AGL with seven other skydivers. While forming up at 3500' AGL, subject's parachute had left brake come unstowed causing spiral to right; after one turn, with subject under canopy, she collided with another skydiver, knocking her helmet off and rendering her unconscious. She continued downward in spiral with canopy open. Fellow skydiver reported she appeared to be unconscious the entire descent. Subject impacted a steel gate in a driveway. She was taken to hospital with multiple injuries and died 4 August 1994 at 2155, having never regained consciousness. Operator of the skydive facility reported that incident could possibly have been prevented if subject had taken more care with repacking parachute. Training: all training had been received at skydive america in Beaumont since March 1994. Experience: subject had 50 freefall jumps, the total of her experience. Equipment: main canopy glide path cricket; reserve national phantom 22' reserve was packed 07-14-94.

As the FAA filed it

NARRATIVE: ON 30 JULY 1994 AT 1815 LOCAL CST, SUBJECT SKYDIVER EXITED AIRCRAFT N9NK, A BEECH 65-80, AT 13,000' AGL WITH SEVEN OTHER SKYDIVERS. WHILE FORMING UP AT 3500' AGL, SUBJECT'S PARACHUTE HAD LEFT BRAKE COME UNSTOWED CAUSING SPIRAL TO RIGHT; AFTER ONE TURN, WITH SUBJECT UNDER CANOPY, SHE COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER SKYDIVER, KNOCKING HER HELMET OFF AND RENDERING HER UNCONSCIOUS. SHE CONTINUED DOWNWARD IN SPIRAL WITH CANOPY OPEN. FELLOW SKYDIVER REPORTED SHE APPEARED TO BE UNCONSCIOUS THE ENTIRE DESCENT. SUBJECT IMPACTED A STEEL GATE IN A DRIVEWAY. SHE WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL WITH MULTIPLE INJURIES AND DIED 4 AUGUST 1994 AT 2155, HAVING NEVER REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS. OPERATOR OF THE SKYDIVE FACILITY REPORTED THAT INCIDENT COULD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF SUBJECT HAD TAKEN MORE CARE WITH REPACKING PARACHUTE. TRAINING: ALL TRAINING HAD BEEN RECEIVED AT SKYDIVE AMERICA IN BEAUMONT SINCE MARCH 1994. EXPERIENCE: SUBJECT HAD 50 FREEFALL JUMPS, THE TOTAL OF HER EXPERIENCE. EQUIPMENT: MAIN CANOPY GLIDE PATH CRICKET; RESERVE NATIONAL PHANTOM 22' RESERVE WAS PACKED 07-14-94.