- Date
- June 14, 2014, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Valmeyer, IL
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5172DCessna 182A
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 14, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20140614009529A
- Case key
- 89443
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 deployment of the skydiver's drogue chute when he exited the airplane, resulting in it contacting and damaging the horizontal stabilizer.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot's report, he leveled the airplane about 11,000 feet and established a speed of 80 mph with 10 degrees of flaps extended. When the last skydiver exited the airplane, its nose pitched up. The pilot pushed forwarded on the control wheel and added full engine power. He experienced "difficulties" in pushing the control wheel forward and thought a parachute caused the control issue. The pilot subsequently used full nose down trim to assist his control of the airplane. A witness in a chase airplane confirmed the bent right horizontal stabilizer. The pilot assessed the deteriorating flight control situation. He decided to jump out of the airplane over farmland and use his emergency parachute there. The pilot observed the accident airplane spiral down as he descended under his parachute. A skydiver reported there were no mechanical malfunctions up to the time he exited and the last skydiver confirmed that his reserve canopy had deployed prematurely as he was leaving the step. The pilot reported no other mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot's report, he leveled the airplane about 11,000 feet and established a speed of 80 mph with 10 degrees of flaps extended. When the last skydiver exited the airplane, its nose pitched up. The pilot pushed forwarded on the control wheel and added full engine power. He experienced "difficulties" in pushing the control wheel forward and thought a parachute caused the control issue. The pilot subsequently used full nose down trim to assist his control of the airplane. A witness in a chase airplane confirmed the bent right horizontal stabilizer. The pilot assessed the deteriorating flight control situation. He decided to jump out of the airplane over farmland and use his emergency parachute there. The pilot observed the accident airplane spiral down as he descended under his parachute. A skydiver reported there were no mechanical malfunctions up to the time he exited and the last skydiver confirmed that his reserve canopy had deployed prematurely as he was leaving the step. The pilot reported no other mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5172D
- Reported as
- Cessna 182A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 51272
- Built
- 1958
- Airframe hours
- 7,706
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470-L, 265 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving · Part 91
- Operator
- Fly Free Skydiving
- Registered owner
- Cook Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 11, 2014
- Departed
- FES · Festus, MO
- Destination
- FES · Festus, MO
- Airport
- FES · Festus Memorial
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
- 21
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 11, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 215 total · 4 in this make and model · 70 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KCPS, 21 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 22, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5172D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.