NTSB Factual Report

On August 16, 2013, about 1730 central daylight time, a Cessna 206 airplane, N2070K, was damaged inflight near Brooklyn, Iowa. The commercial pilot was not injured; however, the passenger was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Brooklyn Air Inc., and operated by Skydive Iowa Inc., under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as positioning flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The flight originated from Skydive Iowa Airport (09IA), Brooklyn, Iowa, and was en route to Grinnell Regional Airport (KGGI), Grinnell, Iowa.

According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to position the airplane to Grinnell, Iowa, so that maintenance could be conducted. After starting the airplane engine and preparing to taxi, the pilot was notified by the company tandem master that a passenger would be joining him for the flight to Grinnell as an observer. Both the pilot and passenger were wearing parachutes, as required by the company policy. The airplane was used in skydive operations and the right-side, cabin door had been removed.

The pilot reported that the passenger boarded the airplane, took a seat on the right side of the airplane, behind the pilot, and fastened his seatbelt. He stated that he did not inspect the seatbelt and had heard the "click" of the seatbelt as it was latched. No passenger briefing was provided by the pilot. Shortly after departure, the passenger elected to move from his position behind the pilot to a position in the front of the airplane, beside the pilot. As the passenger was moving, the reserve parachute, in the passenger's parachute-pack, deployed and the passenger was pulled from the airplane.

The pilot stated that as the passenger exited the airplane, he heard a loud "bang". At the same time, the parachute became entangled in the empennage. The airplane pitched up approximately 50 degrees, banked 80 degrees to the right, and stalled. Eventually, the parachute separated from the empennage and the pilot was able to recover the airplane between 600 and 700 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot observed the parachute open, and about 100 feet agl, the parachute made a sharp right turn. The pilot assumed that the passenger was controlling the parachute.

According to one witness on the ground, he observed the canopy of the parachute circle several times before the parachute seemed to go straight down. Another witness commented that the parachute was very low and very fast. A witness responded to the location where the parachute came down and found the passenger unconscious and without a pulse. According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, who conducted the autopsy, the passenger died from multiple blunt force injuries.

The pilot continued to KGGI and landed without further incident. A post-accident examination of the airplane revealed minor damage to the fuselage at the door frame and skin damage to the horizontal stabilizer. Blood was found on the door frame of the airplane where the passenger egressed. Further examination revealed that the "D" ring, or handle that released the reserve parachute, was buckled into the seatbelt.

A review of the airplane operating limitations, "Limitations for the Operation of an Aircraft with a Door Removed" – stated that "when operations other than intentional parachute jumping and skydiving are conducted, a suitable guardrail or equivalent safety device must be provided for the doorway."

The pilot reported that a "roll-up door" was installed on the airplane but was not in use at the time of the accident flight because of the warm temperatures and because one of the devices used to fasten the corner of the door to the airframe was broken, preventing them from properly securing the door.

Despite multiple attempts, the pilot refused to provide the required Pilot Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report, National Transportation Safety Board Form 6120.1/2.

NTSB Probable Cause

The improper routing of the seatbelt, which resulted in the inadvertent deployment of the reserve parachute, and the open jump door, which allowed the passenger to be pulled from the airplane.