What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft N99NN was in cruise when two parachute jumpers exited the aircraft prior to the intended exit position. A signaling device (red & Green light) is installed on the aircraft. The red light is illuminated until the aircraft has reached the proper exit altitude and position. Then the red light is extinguished and the Green light is illuminated. When the Green light is illuminated, jumpers may exit the aircraft. Two jumpers exited the aircraft prior to the Green light signal. The first jumper exited without incident. The second jumper exiting the aircraft was observed to hit the left hand leading edge horizontal stabilizer with his head. He was described as curling up ino a ball after he was struck in the head. Parachute deployment was not observed by anyone in the aircraft or on the ground. The pilot in command described a bump in flight control and asked what happened. He was informed that two jumpers exited the aircraft and one hit the horizontal stabilizer. The PIC notified air traffic control, aborted the flight and returned to Bowling Green Municipal Airport without further incident. A search ensued and 1 1/2 hours later, the deceased was located a half of a mile off of the end of the runway in a wooded area.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT N99NN WAS IN CRUISE WHEN TWO PARACHUTE JUMPERS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO THE INTENDED EXIT POSITION. A SIGNALING DEVICE (RED & GREEN LIGHT) IS INSTALLED ON THE AIRCRAFT. THE RED LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT HAS REACHED THE PROPER EXIT ALTITUDE AND POSITION. THEN THE RED LIGHT IS EXTINGUISHED AND THE GREEN LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE GREEN LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED, JUMPERS MAY EXIT THE AIRCRAFT. TWO JUMPERS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO THE GREEN LIGHT SIGNAL. THE FIRST JUMPER EXITED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE SECOND JUMPER EXITING THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO HIT THE LEFT HAND LEADING EDGE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WITH HIS HEAD. HE WAS DESCRIBED AS CURLING UP INO A BALL AFTER HE WAS STRUCK IN THE HEAD. PARACHUTE DEPLOYMENT WAS NOT OBSERVED BY ANYONE IN THE AIRCRAFT OR ON THE GROUND. THE PILOT IN COMMAND DESCRIBED A BUMP IN FLIGHT CONTROL AND ASKED WHAT HAPPENED. HE WAS INFORMED THAT TWO JUMPERS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND ONE HIT THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. THE PIC NOTIFIED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL, ABORTED THE FLIGHT AND RETURNED TO BOWLING GREEN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. A SEARCH ENSUED AND 1 1/2 HOURS LATER, THE DECEASED WAS LOCATED A HALF OF A MILE OFF OF THE END OF THE RUNWAY IN A WOODED AREA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.