1999 — July 31, Takeoff crash/Parahawks Skydiving Center plane, Marine City, MI — 10

—  10  Aircraft Crashes Record Office (Geneva, Switzerland).  Michigan.

—  10  Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. Parahawks Skydiving Center 31 Jul 1999

—  10  NTSB. CHI99MA269. October 13, 2000.

 

Narrative Information

 

NTSB: “On July 31, 1999, about 0825 eastern daylight time, a Beech Model 65-A90, N518DM, operated by the Parahawks Skydiving Center, impacted the ground during climbout from runway 22 at the Marine City Airport (76G), Marine City, Michigan. (All times in this report are eastern daylight time, based on a 24-hour clock.) The pilot and nine parachutists who were on board received fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post-impact fire. The local skydiving flight, which was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, was not on a flight plan, and visual meteorological conditions existed at the time of the accident….

 

A “… witness, a parachutist who was standing near the windsock at the skydiving sandpit which is located north of runway 22, stated that he observed the airplane during its takeoff roll and climb. He reported seeing someone sitting in the copilot seat when the airplane was halfway down the runway. He stated that after the airplane departed the runway, it turned to the right and went behind trees. The witness stated that he then saw the airplane climb above the trees flying wings level for about 3 seconds. He reported that the airplane then entered a steep left bank about 200 to 250 feet above ground level (agl). The airplane continued in a steep left bank for about 5 seconds until it impacted the ground. The witness stated that he could see the entire top of the airplane before impact. The witness reported that he had never before seen the pilot turn left during climbout and that it appeared that the pilot was attempting to return to the airport….

 

“The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:  The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall, inflight loss of control, and collision with the ground.”  (NTSB. CHI99MA269.  October 13, 2000.)

 

Sources

 

Aircraft Crashes Record Office (Geneva, Switzerland). Michigan. Accessed 3-9-2009 at:  http://www.baaa-acro.com/Pays/Etats-Unis/Michigan.htm

 

Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. Parahawks Skydiving Center 31 Jul 1999.  Accessed 3-9-2009 at: http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=43374

 

National Transportation Safety Board. CHI99MA269. Washington, DC: NTSB, October 13, 2000. Accessed at: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001212X19228