- Date
- October 4, 1990, 12:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- South St. Paul, MN
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N35889Cessna 206
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19901004044089A
- Case key
- 14847
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 drag parachute. Related factors are the pilot's improper remedial action, habit interference, and the reduced aircraft controllability.
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
The pilot reported that shortly after turning crosswind at an altitude of 400 feet above ground level, he noted a change in engine noise, and the airplane started to sink rapidly. Troubleshooting revealed that the spin parachute had inadvertently deployed. The pilot attempted to jettison the parachute, but he was unsuccessful because he followed procedures for a different design parachute. He stated that he was losing altitude rapidly, so rather than attempt to jettison again, he concentrated on making a successful forced landing. Post-accident investigation revealed that the safety pin had worked loose, allowing the parachute to deploy.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N35889
- Reported as
- Cessna 206
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- U20302783
- Engine
- Continental IO-550F, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Wiraire
- Destination
- NONE · Inver Grove Hgt, MN
- Airport
- D97 · Fleming Field
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
- 49
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,749 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 5,582 as pilot in command · 58 in the last 90 days · 58 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.