Summary
On November 06, 1994, a Beech 65-90 (N276VM) was involved in an accident near San Diego, CA. The accident resulted in 1 serious injury, with 13 people uninjured out of 14 aboard. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The inadvertent and premature deployment of the jumper's reserve parachute as he exited the aircraft.
On November 6, 1994, at 1409 Pacific standard time, a Beech 65- 90, N276VM, was damaged when a sport parachutist collided with the horizontal stabilizer while exiting the aircraft at 13,000 feet msl near San Diego, California. The aircraft, owned and operated by Nuway, Inc., of Wilmington, Delaware, was engaged in parachute jump operations under contract to Air Adventures, San Diego, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft incurred substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer skin, spar, and stabilizer attach points. The jumper who collided with the aircraft sustained serious injuries; however, the 2 airline transport pilots and the remaining 11 parachutists on board were not injured.
This accident is documented in NTSB report LAX95LA032. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N276VM.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
the inadvertent and premature deployment of the jumper's reserve parachute as he exited the aircraft.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On November 6, 1994, at 1409 Pacific standard time, a Beech 65- 90, N276VM, was damaged when a sport parachutist collided with the horizontal stabilizer while exiting the aircraft at 13,000 feet msl near San Diego, California. The aircraft, owned and operated by Nuway, Inc., of Wilmington, Delaware, was engaged in parachute jump operations under contract to Air Adventures, San Diego, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft incurred substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer skin, spar, and stabilizer attach points. The jumper who collided with the aircraft sustained serious injuries; however, the 2 airline transport pilots and the remaining 11 parachutists on board were not injured. The flight originated at Brown Field, San Diego, California, at 1350 on the day of the accident.
According to statements from the pilots and other jumpers on board the aircraft, the injured jumper's reserve parachute deployed as he exited the door. The parachute momentarily draped over the left leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer, then as the canopy deployed, the jumper was pulled over the horizontal.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# LAX95LA032