20010527019159A

(-23) A skydiver was struck by the prop of a de havilland DHC-6 after jumping from a king air C-90 during a formation jump. The pilot of the king air stated that the position of his aircraft during the jump was to be behind and to the right of the de havilland. After achieving the jump altitude of 14,000 feet MSL with the jump in progress the king air moved out of position in front of the de havilland. (.19)on may 27, 2001, at 1120 central daylight time, a de havilland DHC-6, multi-engine airplane, N125PM, came in contact with a skydiver that had exited a Beech king air 90, multi-engine airplane, N276VM, during a formation air drop at 14,000 feet MSL near Fentress, Texas. The skydiver received fatal injuries. The commercial pilot of the de havilland was not injured, and the 21 skydivers that exited the de havilland were not injured. The commercial pilot of the king air was not injured, and the other eight skydivers that exited the king air were not injured. The de havilland sustained minor damage, and the king air was not damaged. Both aircraft were owned by an individual and operated by sky dive san marcos, Fentress, Texas, under 14 code of federal regulations part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the local flight. Both aircraft departed the private airstrip at Fentress, Texas, approximately 20 minutes prior to the accident. The operator reported to the FAA inspector, that the two aircraft departed the airstrip for the formation flight to 14,000 feet MSL. The de havilland was to be the lead aircraft with the king air in trail. During the flight, the king air moved into the lead with the de havilland in trail. When the aircraft reached 14,000 feet MSL, the pilots talked to each other via the aircraft radio, and notified the austin controller that they were ready to release the skydivers. Subsequently, the de havilland turned on a green light which signaled to the skydivers that they could commence exiting the de havilland. When the king air skydivers saw the jumpers departing the de havilland, they began to exit the king air. After the last jumper exited the king air, he saw that the parachute of the previous jumper had not opened. He made an attempt to reach the jumper; however, the jumper fell to the ground. The reserve parachute of the jumper was found deployed. According to the operator, this was the first formation air drop flight for either pilot in multi-engine aircraft. Both aircraft landed without further incident. The pilot of the de havilland reported that the aircraft was on a magnetic heading of 200 degrees in straight and level flight when "suddenly something hit what I thought was my right wing. The airplane started to vibrate, [and] I shut down the right engine." The FAA inspector, who responded to the site, examined both aircraft. On the de havilland, the right engine's propeller had one of the propeller blades bent. Additionally, there were scrapes found along the right side of the fuselage of the de havilland.