# NTSB ERA09CA082: Cessna 208, N9639F, Homestead, FL, December 7, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 7, 2008, 12:00 local (17:00 UTC) - Place: Homestead, FL - Coordinates: 25.490592, -80.510147 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.4906&lon=-80.5101&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Cabin safety event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 12 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 29, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 69541 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA09CA082 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/69541/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA082 ## Probable cause The inadvertent deployment of the reserve parachute, resulting in the skydiver being prematurely pulled from the airplane and striking the horizontal stabilizer. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Passenger (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 208, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=2073702), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Cabin safety event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 208, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md?model=2073702), [All aircraft, 151 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 208, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2073702), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight was at 13,500 feet overhead the airport, preparing for the skydivers to jump. The pilot turned on the green light to initiate the jump. He then felt the aircraft shudder, but did not lose control of the airplane. After most of the jumpers had left the airplane, one of the skydivers came forward and notified the pilot of damage to the tail. After a controllability check, the pilot landed the airplane without further incident. Structural damage to the left horizontal stabilizer was found after the flight. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported that a skydiver was standing at the door of the airplane when his reserve chute inadvertently deployed, pulling the skydiver out of the airplane. The skydiver then struck the horizontal stabilizer after being pulled from the airplane. The FAA inspector found the parachute to have a current inspection; no anomalies were found. ## Factual narrative The flight was at 13,500 feet overhead the airport, preparing for the skydivers to jump. The pilot turned on the green light to initiate the jump. He then felt the aircraft shudder, but did not lose control of the airplane. After most of the jumpers had left the airplane, one of the skydivers came forward and notified the pilot of damage to the tail. After a controllability check, the pilot landed the airplane without further incident. Structural damage to the left horizontal stabilizer was found after the flight. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported that a skydiver was standing at the door of the airplane when his reserve chute inadvertently deployed, pulling the skydiver out of the airplane. The skydiver then struck the horizontal stabilizer after being pulled from the airplane. The FAA inspector found the parachute to have a current inspection; no anomalies were found. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9639F](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9639F), registered now, S/N 20800121, built 1987 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 208 - Registry model: [Cessna 208](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-208) (registry code 2073702) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-60a) (registry code 52043, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 20800121 - Airframe hours: 13258 - Engines: P&W CANADA PT6A-60A 1050 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Skydiving, Part 91 - Operator: Skydive Miami - Registered owner: Umatilla Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, December 4, 2008 - Departed: X51, Homestead, FL - Destination: X51, Homestead, FL - Airport: X51, Homestead General, runway 36, 4,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 20, 2007; seat: left; flight hours: 6,450 total, 2,800 in this make and model, 6,341 as pilot in command, 57 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 340° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.11 inHg - Observed at: KHST ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20081207856719A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20081207856719A), Dec 7, 2008: Cessna 208, Homestead, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) Reserve parachute deployed into the air stream while [privacy data omitted] was still in the aircraft. Reserve chute pulled [privacy data omitted] into… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.