NTSB Factual Report

On May 27, 2001, at 1120 central daylight time, a de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter, N125PM, came in contact with a skydiver, who had exited a Beech King Air 90, multi-engine airplane, N276VM, during a formation air drop near Fentress, Texas. The skydiver received fatal injuries. The commercial pilot of the de Havilland was not injured, and the 21 skydivers that exited the de Havilland were not injured. The commercial pilot of the King Air was not injured, and the other 8 skydivers that exited the King Air were not injured. The de Havilland sustained minor damage, and the King Air was not damaged. Each aircraft was owned by a different individual and both were operated by Sky Dive San Marcos, Fentress, Texas, under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the local flight. Both aircraft departed the private airstrip at Fentress, Texas, approximately 20 minutes prior to the accident.

The operator reported to the FAA inspector, that the two aircraft departed the airstrip for the formation flight to 14,000 feet msl. The de Havilland was to be the lead aircraft with the King Air in trail. This was the first formation air drop flight for either pilot in a multi-engine aircraft. When the aircraft reached 14,000 feet msl, the pilots talked to each other via the aircraft radio, and notified the Austin controller that they were ready to release the skydivers. Subsequently, the pilot of the de Havilland turned on a green light which signaled to the skydivers that they could commence exiting the de Havilland. When the King Air skydivers saw the skydivers departing the de Havilland, they began to exit the King Air.

Passenger Statements (NTSB Form 6120.9) were sent to the skydivers aboard each aircraft. Fifteen skydivers returned their Passenger Statements to the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC). On written statements, the skydivers reported the following information: The King Air and the de Havilland were in the correct formation with the King Air slightly behind, slightly right, and slightly lower than the de Havilland just before three skydivers climbed out of the King Air in preparation for the jump. In the time it took for the three skydivers to climb out and for the load master to tell the load to exit, the King Air passed and was above the de Havilland. One King Air skydiver, a videographer, passed in front of the de Havilland by about 40-50 yards, and then went to a "belly to earth position." Subsequently, the videographer noticed a "jumper spinning out of control." The videographer caught the out-of-control skydiver and deployed her reserve parachute by pulling the reserve handle; however, the reserve parachute did not fully inflate "due to being cut by the propeller." Another skydiver reported that "after exiting the King Air, I noticed the de Havilland was very close to my flight path. I maneuvered to give the de Havilland as much distance as possible, and after making it past the de Havilland, I noticed a jumper in a flat spin with what I believed to be the reserve out but not deployed. The reserve was caught in the burble on the back of the jumper." The spinning skydiver fell to the ground. The reserve parachute of the skydiver was found deployed.

The pilot of the de Havilland reported that the aircraft was on a magnetic heading of 200 degrees in straight and level flight when "suddenly something hit what I thought was my right wing." The airplane started to vibrate, and the pilot, shut down the right engine. Further, he advised the pilot of the King Air that "someone touched his right wing and [he] had to shut down his right engine because of vibrations." Both airplanes were landed without further incident.

The pilot of the King Air reported that the pilots were in radio communication with each other and the de Havilland was the lead aircraft. The King Air approached the de Havilland's right side, same altitude and about 200 feet back. The King Air was "a little fast" and the pilot "put the power to idle and approach flaps down." Further, "upon seeing the de Havilland getting closer, the pilot of the King Air "decided to pitch and bank right to get more space and try to slow down." At that time the pilot of the King Air lost visual contact with the de Havilland.

The FAA inspector, who responded to the site, examined both aircraft. On the de Havilland, the right engine's propeller had one of the propeller blades bent. Additionally, there were scrapes found along the right side of the fuselage of the de Havilland.

Numerous attempts were made by the FAA inspector and the NTSB IIC to obtain a completed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2). The report was received from the operator on February 11, 2002. Additionally, the operator provided "a video tape from both aircraft up to the time of impact between the Jumper and the [de Havilland]." Review of the video tape by the NTSB IIC revealed that the tape did not show the jumper contacting the de Havilland. The video tape did show that at the time the jumpers exited the King Air, the King Air was above, right, and ahead of the de Havilland.

NTSB Probable Cause

the King Air pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision in that he failed to remain in the agreed on formation position, resulting in one of his skydiver's contacting the propeller of the de Havilland airplane. A contributing factor was the lack of total experience of both pilots in multiengine formation air drop flights.