What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On August 12, 2001, at 1905 hours pacific daylight time, a Douglas DC-3C, N376AS, encountered turbulence during cruise flight over mountainous terrain following an aerial deployment of smoke jumpers near alturas, California. The airplane was not damaged. Neither the two airline transport pilots nor the third crewmember was injured. The fourth crewmember was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight operated by rhoades aviation inc. under a united states forrest service contract. The public-use flight was performed under 14 CFR part 91. The airplane departed Redding, California, at 1730, and was returning to Redding when the accident occurred. A company flight plan was filed. The operator indicated that there were two cabin crewmembers (spotters) on board. They were securing the cabin for their return flight to Redding. As the airplane crossed over a ridge line it encountered a sudden wind shear, or downdraft. One spotter hit his helmet on the ceiling, but was not injured. The second spotter, who was in mid-cabin reported "I just broke my leg." The pilot diverted the flight to alturas. No other turbulence was encountered prior to or after theaccident event. (-23) aircraft encountered turbulence following an aerial deployment of smoke jumpers. One of two cabin crew members (spotters) was securing the cabin when the aircraft encountered a sudden wind shear. The spotter who was positioned in the mid-cabin area reported "I just broke my leg." The pilot diverted the flight to alturas without further incident.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON AUGUST 12, 2001, AT 1905 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A DOUGLAS DC-3C, N376AS, ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE DURING CRUISE FLIGHT OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN FOLLOWING AN AERIAL DEPLOYMENT OF SMOKE JUMPERS NEAR ALTURAS, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT DAMAGED. NEITHER THE TWO AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOTS NOR THE THIRD CREWMEMBER WAS INJURED. THE FOURTH CREWMEMBER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FLIGHT OPERATED BY RHOADES AVIATION INC. UNDER A UNITED STATES FORREST SERVICE CONTRACT. THE PUBLIC-USE FLIGHT WAS PERFORMED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED REDDING, CALIFORNIA, AT 1730, AND WAS RETURNING TO REDDING WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE OPERATOR INDICATED THAT THERE WERE TWO CABIN CREWMEMBERS (SPOTTERS) ON BOARD. THEY WERE SECURING THE CABIN FOR THEIR RETURN FLIGHT TO REDDING. AS THE AIRPLANE CROSSED OVER A RIDGE LINE IT ENCOUNTERED A SUDDEN WIND SHEAR, OR DOWNDRAFT. ONE SPOTTER HIT HIS HELMET ON THE CEILING, BUT WAS NOT INJURED. THE SECOND SPOTTER, WHO WAS IN MID-CABIN REPORTED "I JUST BROKE MY LEG." THE PILOT DIVERTED THE FLIGHT TO ALTURAS. NO OTHER TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED PRIOR TO OR AFTER THEACCIDENT EVENT. (-23) AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE FOLLOWING AN AERIAL DEPLOYMENT OF SMOKE JUMPERS. ONE OF TWO CABIN CREW MEMBERS (SPOTTERS) WAS SECURING THE CABIN WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A SUDDEN WIND SHEAR. THE SPOTTER WHO WAS POSITIONED IN THE MID-CABIN AREA REPORTED "I JUST BROKE MY LEG." THE PILOT DIVERTED THE FLIGHT TO ALTURAS WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.