# NTSB ERA24LA384: Cessna 172L, N19703, DeLand, FL, September 17, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 17, 2024, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: DeLand, FL - Coordinates: 29.067028, -81.28375 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.0670&lon=-81.2837&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 195138 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA384 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195138/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195138 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA384 ## Probable cause The parachutist’s failure to control his canopy which resulted in a downwind landing, an overshoot of the drop zone, and collision with a departing airplane. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Object/animal/substance: person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022035): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Awareness of condition; cases with it: [Cessna 172L, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022035/cases.md?model=2072432), [All aircraft, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022035/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172L, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=2072432), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor explained that immediately after the airplane lifted from the runway, a parachutist beneath a fully fully-deployed canopy appeared from above and to the left of the high-winged airplane about 15-20 ft above ground level. The parachutist was aligned to cross the runway from left to right immediately to his front, so he turned right to raise the left wing in hopes of striking the parachute instead of the parachutist. Witnesses described the collision, pieces separating from the airplane, and the parachutist “skidding” across the runway before coming to rest unhurt. The instructor maneuvered the substantially substantially-damaged airplane and landed it successfully with both occupants emerging unhurt. According to the operator of the skydiving activity, the parachutist failed to enter the area surrounding the designated drop zone properly and into the wind, but instead overshot the landing zone in the downwind direction and crossed in front of the departing airplane. In a written statement, the parachutist explained that he was a “student” and that he lacked control of the canopy when he experienced a “sudden change of winds.” He stated that the wind “pushed” him in the direction of the departure runway. The parachutist added that because he was a student in a “highly good” training environment, that he would improve his “skills and experience” with more training. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N19703](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N19703), registered now, S/N 17260685, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172L - Registry model: [Cessna 172L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172l) (registry code 2072432) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17260685 - Year built: 1972 - Airframe hours: 7772.3 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2D 150 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 31, 2024 - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: DED, Deland Muni-Sidney H Taylor Fld, runway 05/23, 4,301 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 24; injuries: none; flight instructor, student, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 16, 2024; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 681 total, 292 in this make and model, 574 as pilot in command, 112 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,600 ft broken - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 29.93 inHg - Observed at: KDED - METAR: KDED 171830Z AUTO 02003KT 10SM SCT039 BKN046 BKN055 32/23 A2993 RMK AO2 T03160227 ## 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 20240917013959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240917013959A), Sep 17, 2024: Cessna 172L, Deland, FL, Substantial damage. At about 50FT above the runway, a skydivers parachute risers collided with the aircrafts left wing tip. The aircraft returned to Deland and landed without… ## Other investigations on N19703 (1) 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. - [NTSB OAK77FA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK77FA031), May 9, 1977: Cessna 150L (N19703), Gilroy, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 20, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195138. 19.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 5.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17829005&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Report%20N19703_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Skydiving operations statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17837160&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigator%20Brian%20Rayner_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Skydiving activity statement and landing zone diagram (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 480 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17828556&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Skydive%20Deland%20Statements%20regarding%20September%2017th%20Incident%201_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Witness statements (item 4, PDF, 5 pages, 6.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17836815&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Incident%20Witness%20Statements_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Airport facility directory kded (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 67 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17836103&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=AFD%20for%20KDED-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 6, PDF, 2 pages, 542 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17835673&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA24LA384%20Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf - FAA loa for skydiving activities at kded (item 7, PDF, 7 pages, 6.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17856163&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=LOA%20_Redacted-Rel.pdf 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.