Accident Sequence
An aircraft was in level flight at 10,500 feet MSL when four skydivers took their positions on the right exterior jump-step. Just after the last jumper reached the step, the parachute of one skydiver inadvertently deployed and streamed backward, wrapping around the aircraft's tail surfaces. The skydiver whose parachute deployed separated himself from the parachute, jumped from the aircraft, and opened his reserve parachute. At about the same time, the other three jumpers also departed the aircraft.
Pilot Actions and Loss of Control
The pilot attempted to control the aircraft but discovered that, due to the parachute wrapped around the tail surfaces, the rudder and elevator did not respond to control inputs. He applied a small amount of right rudder in an effort to separate the parachute from the aircraft. In response, the aircraft pitched nose-down and entered what appeared to the pilot to be an inverted spin. At that point, the pilot also jumped from the aircraft and successfully opened his parachute. The aircraft continued to spin inverted until it impacted the terrain.