What happened
During the final approach for landing, a parachute jump plane collided with a parachutist. The pilot reported that while on approach, a parachutist descended rapidly and accelerated from behind the aircraft's right wing. The impact caused the aircraft to enter an unrecoverable descending right turn, leading it to strike a tree line and terrain near the airport. The pilot was not injured, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The parachutist involved stated they were unable to reach the intended landing area because the drop spot was too long, prompting an intention to land in front of the hangar. The parachutist reported not seeing or hearing the aircraft prior to the collision, noting that their high-performance canopy leveled out directly in front of the aircraft's right wing.
Findings
Investigation into the event revealed that the drop zone for experienced jumpers was located north of the turf runway and west of the hangar buildings, while jump planes typically utilized the adjacent turf runway for landings. Video footage from helmet-mounted cameras worn by the involved parachutist and a second jumper showed that both individuals descended through a cloud prior to deploying their canopies. This finding is significant as federal regulations prohibit parachute operations into or through clouds.