Photo taken at Eloy, AZ March
23, 2006
Every year in the United States, people voluntarily toss
themselves out of perfectly good airplanes more than 3 million times. Most of
these jumps occur in the vicinity of airports, so it’s not surprising that
those falling humans sometimes collide with aircraft. Below are two accounts of
man and machine meeting in midair—with two very different outcomes.
On April 23, 2005, a de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter was
substantially damaged when it struck a skydiver under canopy above Deland
Municipal Airport in Deland, Fla. The aircraft was entering the downwind leg
for Runway 23 when the collision occurred. The pilot was able to land safely,
but the parachutist was fatally wounded.
Shortly after 9 a.m., the Twin Otter released 14 jumpers
southwest of the airport at 13,500 feet msl. The aircraft descended to the
northeast and approached the airport for landing. The pilot said he saw some
parachutes on the ground and some in the air. Believing he had accounted for
all of the jumpers, the pilot crossed over Runway 23 and began a left turn to
enter the traffic pattern’s downwind leg.
As the pilot banked, he saw a flash of colors, felt an impact,
and sensed a drag from the left wing. A witness said the airplane was about 600
feet agl at the time of the collision, which severed the skydiver’s legs at the
knees. The parachutist was able to make a controlled descent following impact
but later succumbed to his injuries. The pilot landed the damaged airplane
without further incident. The NTSB cited the pilot’s inadequate visual lookout
as the cause of the accident.
Collisions between skydivers and airplanes don’t always favor
the machine, however. On Nov. 21, 1993, a freefalling jumper collided with a
Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee at 5,700 feet msl, crushing its vertical stabilizer.
The parachutist survived the impact, only to witness the crippled airplane
spiraling out of control. All four people on board died when the aircraft
struck terrain.
The Cherokee had departed Red Hook, N.Y., at 1 p.m., destined for
Bedford, Mass. About an hour into the flight, the aircraft was passing over
Northampton Airport in Northampton, Mass. Above and ahead of the Cherokee, the
pilot of a Cessna 210 with five parachutists on board had just issued a “one
minute to jump” advisory to Bradley Approach Control, which ATC relayed to all
aircraft on the approach frequency. The Cessna pilot also transmitted the same
announcement on the Northampton common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF). The
Bradley Approach controller failed to warn the Cessna pilot of a VFR target in
the vicinity of the jump airplane.
The first jumper exited the Cessna and entered freefall. After
about five or six seconds, he saw the Cherokee “coming right at me.” The
skydiver’s foot struck the aircraft’s tail. He managed to deploy his parachute
and watched as the Cherokee spiraled toward the ground, “going in totally out
of control.” Witness reports and wreckage investigation revealed that the
aircraft’s damaged vertical stabilizer had separated in flight. The NTSB
faulted ATC for failing to provide required traffic information to the jump
pilot, whose inadequate visual lookout was also cited as a factor in the crash.
Fortunately, encounters between skydivers and aircraft other
than the jump airplane are relatively rare. Still, reports of near misses
abound. Awareness and avoidance are the keys to safety. Drop zones are depicted
on sectional charts (with a parachute icon) and listed in the Airport Remarks
section of the Airport/Facility Directory. Moreover, jump activities are
typically conducted under a notam that includes the location, altitudes, and
time or duration of the activity.
To determine if a jump area is currently active, pilots should
listen for ATC and CTAF advisories. For operations in controlled airspace,
pilots of jump aircraft are required to communicate with the ATC facility that
has jurisdiction over the affected airspace at least five minutes prior to jump
operations. In addition, when jump aircraft are operating at or in the vicinity
of an airport, pilots are also encouraged to make CTAF announcements—typically
a call of “Jumpers away!” with appropriate altitude information.
The AOPA Air Safety Foundation recommends that pilots consider
avoiding active jump zones by at least five miles. When this isn’t possible, or
when landing at an airport where skydiving operations are taking place, use
extra caution and vigilance—keeping a wary eye out for those who prefer to fly
without the benefit of a perfectly good airplane.