Incident Overview
An airplane departed with four parachutists on board. After reaching an altitude of 11,000 feet, one parachutist exited without issue. As the second parachutist was exiting, his reserve parachute deployed prematurely, pulling him toward the rear of the airplane. The parachute canopy went over the top of the horizontal stabilizer, and the parachutist went under the stabilizer. The reserve parachute suspension lines then slipped off the horizontal stabilizer. The parachutist subsequently opened the main parachute and made a successful descent and landing.
Emergency Landing
The premature deployment caused damage to the horizontal stabilizer and empennage, and the elevator became jammed. The pilot instructed the remaining two parachutists to exit the airplane. Despite the jammed elevator, the pilot managed to land the airplane in a plowed corn field using power and aileron control. During the landing, the airplane's landing gear and propeller were damaged.
Investigation Findings
An investigation revealed evidence that the design of the reserve parachute cable housing was inadequate (not adequately secured), which allowed the cable to be pulled prematurely. The parachute manufacturer, Parachute Industry of South Africa, agreed to redesign the housing.