What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Saturday 9/17 at about 1900, a Cessna 182P N20844 jump plane departed VFR from Chandler (chd) airport and climbed to about 5300 feet while making right 360 turns and leveled off and held position 6 miles west of gateway airport for their queue to perform as an air spectator event for the city of Gilbert. They were operating under an event waiver from sdl FSDO. When given the green light to proceed from holding they continued to the event site to prepare for their jump as planned via contact with phx approach (apr). At 02:15:54Z N20844 was circle over station. At 02:16:48Z called ready to jump by advising phz approach. 02:17:28Z N20844 called phx apr to declare an emergency, pilot stated, ?N20844, I ?m having an emergency situation. Fire on the wings! Fire in the airplane!? Phx apr responded by, ?roger, did you want to go to Chandler?? The mic then keyed with no response. 02:17:46Z phx apr asked N20844 again if they wanted gateway (iwa) or Chandler (chd) airport. 02:18:08Z southwest 1558 stated to phx apr the N20844 went down. From what was gathered from the evidence and on scene investigation, N20844 crashed into a private residence. The pilot and 4 parachutists jumped out of the aircraft shortly after the fire started on the left wing due to pyrotechnics.
As the FAA filed it
ON SATURDAY 9/17 AT ABOUT 1900, A CESSNA 182P N20844 JUMP PLANE DEPARTED VFR FROM CHANDLER (CHD) AIRPORT AND CLIMBED TO ABOUT 5300 FEET WHILE MAKING RIGHT 360 TURNS AND LEVELED OFF AND HELD POSITION 6 MILES WEST OF GATEWAY AIRPORT FOR THEIR QUEUE TO PERFORM AS AN AIR SPECTATOR EVENT FOR THE CITY OF GILBERT. THEY WERE OPERATING UNDER AN EVENT WAIVER FROM SDL FSDO. WHEN GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT TO PROCEED FROM HOLDING THEY CONTINUED TO THE EVENT SITE TO PREPARE FOR THEIR JUMP AS PLANNED VIA CONTACT WITH PHX APPROACH (APR). AT 02:15:54Z N20844 WAS CIRCLE OVER STATION. AT 02:16:48Z CALLED READY TO JUMP BY ADVISING PHZ APPROACH. 02:17:28Z N20844 CALLED PHX APR TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY, PILOT STATED, ?N20844, I ?M HAVING AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. FIRE ON THE WINGS! FIRE IN THE AIRPLANE!? PHX APR RESPONDED BY, ?ROGER, DID YOU WANT TO GO TO CHANDLER?? THE MIC THEN KEYED WITH NO RESPONSE. 02:17:46Z PHX APR ASKED N20844 AGAIN IF THEY WANTED GATEWAY (IWA) OR CHANDLER (CHD) AIRPORT. 02:18:08Z SOUTHWEST 1558 STATED TO PHX APR THE N20844 WENT DOWN. FROM WHAT WAS GATHERED FROM THE EVIDENCE AND ON SCENE INVESTIGATION, N20844 CRASHED INTO A PRIVATE RESIDENCE. THE PILOT AND 4 PARACHUTISTS JUMPED OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT SHORTLY AFTER THE FIRE STARTED ON THE LEFT WING DUE TO PYROTECHNICS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.