What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) According to witnesses, at approximately 1445 EDT on October 3, 2005, N7895J, a Pilatus PC-6 "porter" tailwheel turboprop skydiving aircraft piloted by privacy data omitted entered a steep nose-up attitude immediately after an intersection takeoff from runway 5 at Deland-Taylor municipal airport (kded), Deland, FL. The aircraft was on its seventh flight of the day with this pilot. The aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 50 feet AGL before stalling, and began a steep descent with left yaw. Aircraft impacted alongside the runway, left wing first, in a slightly nose-low attitude. Pilot critically injured, still unable to provide statements. Pilot's shoulder harness was found tie-wrapped and stored in overhead structure behind a closeout panel. Two jumpers received a broken leg; one a broken ankle. Aircraft sustained substantial damage. Powerplant showed evidence of high speed rotation, and control continuity checked good. Required inspections and ad's had been logged. The POH specifies neutral elevator trim for takeoff. Measurements of the elevator trim mechanism revealed that at time of impact, the elevator trim corresponded to 56.5% of the distance betwee n neutral and full nose-up.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, AT APPROXIMATELY 1445 EDT ON OCTOBER 3, 2005, N7895J, A PILATUS PC-6 "PORTER" TAILWHEEL TURBOPROP SKYDIVING AIRCRAFT PILOTED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ENTERED A STEEP NOSE-UP ATTITUDE IMMEDIATELY AFTER AN INTERSECTION TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 5 AT DELAND-TAYLOR MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KDED), DELAND, FL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON ITS SEVENTH FLIGHT OF THE DAY WITH THIS PILOT. THE AIRCRAFT REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET AGL BEFORE STALLING, AND BEGAN A STEEP DESCENT WITH LEFT YAW. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED ALONGSIDE THE RUNWAY, LEFT WING FIRST, IN A SLIGHTLY NOSE-LOW ATTITUDE. PILOT CRITICALLY INJURED, STILL UNABLE TO PROVIDE STATEMENTS. PILOT'S SHOULDER HARNESS WAS FOUND TIE-WRAPPED AND STORED IN OVERHEAD STRUCTURE BEHIND A CLOSEOUT PANEL. TWO JUMPERS RECEIVED A BROKEN LEG; ONE A BROKEN ANKLE. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. POWERPLANT SHOWED EVIDENCE OF HIGH SPEED ROTATION, AND CONTROL CONTINUITY CHECKED GOOD. REQUIRED INSPECTIONS AND AD'S HAD BEEN LOGGED. THE POH SPECIFIES NEUTRAL ELEVATOR TRIM FOR TAKEOFF. MEASUREMENTS OF THE ELEVATOR TRIM MECHANISM REVEALED THAT AT TIME OF IMPACT, THE ELEVATOR TRIM CORRESPONDED TO 56.5% OF THE DISTANCE BETWEE N NEUTRAL AND FULL NOSE-UP.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.