- Date
- July 4, 1998, 16:51 local (20:51 UTC)
- Place
- Green Sea, SC
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N7247ECessna 182
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980704036329A
- Case key
- 4006
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The inadvertent activation of the skydivers pilot chute, pulling him into the horizontal stabilizer/elevator, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the FAA, the skydiver was standing on the strut preparing to jump when his pilot parachute opened and wrapped around the tail section of the airplane. The skydiver was pulled from the strut and into the empennage section. He impacted the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator, causing substantial damage to the tail. The skydiver was fatally injured. The airplane was landed, using the elevator trim, without further incident.
Factual narrative
On July 4, 1998, at 1651 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182, N7247E, was substantially damaged when a skydiver struck the empennage during parachuting operations in Green Sea, South Carolina. The flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 and visual flight rules. There was no flight plan filed for this local flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The commercial pilot and one passenger/skydiver were not injured, and one passenger/skydiver was fatally injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The flight departed Green Sea, South Carolina at 1635.According to the FAA, the flight departed Green Sea and climbed to an altitude of 10,000 feet. The first two skydivers jumped out upon reaching the drop area. The third skydiver was standing on the strut preparing to jump when his pilot parachute opened and wrapped around the tail section of the airplane. The skydiver was pulled from the strut and into the empennage section. He impacted the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator, causing substantial damage to the tail. The pilot ordered the fourth skydiver to jump as he tried to maintain control of the airplane. The airplane was landed, using the elevator trim, without further incident. The third skydiver died as a result of his injuries one week later.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7247E
- Reported as
- Cessna 182
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 52247
- Airframe hours
- 2,905
- Engine
- Continental O-470-L, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving · Part 91
- Operator
- Brian Strong
- Registered owner
- Scott Smith
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 7, 1998 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- S79
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 32
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,040 total · 500 in this make and model · 1,914 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MYR, 50 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.