What happened
On April 20, 2014, during the "Easter Boogie" skydiving event at Jämijärvi aerodrome, a Comp Air 8 (registration OH-XDZ) was conducting jump operations. After several previous flights that day, the aircraft departed from the northern runway 27 with ten skydivers on board. During the climb to 4,230 m AGL, the pilot attempted to adjust the flight path to a new jump run by increasing engine power and initiating a left turn at a 20-30 degree bank angle.
During this maneuver, the occupants experienced a sudden downward acceleration. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft entered a rapid descent, with airspeed increasing from 100 kt to a peak of 185 kt. The pilot attempted to recover the aircraft by pulling on the control stick, but the longitudinal control forces suddenly decreased, causing the aircraft to pitch forward past the vertical axis. The aircraft entered an uncontrollable rotation similar to an inverted spin. Eyewitness footage indicated that the right wing had buckled against the fuselage, with fuel leaking from the damaged structure.
As the aircraft spun, three skydivers managed to exit through the pilot's door. Two of these individuals successfully deployed their reserve parachutes via their Automatic Activation Devices (AAD) at low altitudes. The remaining seven skydivers and the pilot were unable to egress. The aircraft impacted the ground at 15:40 and ignited upon impact. The pilot survived the jump, landing 300 m from the wreckage, while two skydivers landed near the crash site. The remaining 8 fatalities occurred as the aircraft struck the ground.
Findings
- The aircraft suffered a structural failure of the right wing during a high-speed maneuver.
- The sudden increase in airspeed to 185 kt preceded the loss of longitudinal control.
- The aircraft's rotation and subsequent crash were characterized by a broken wing structure and fuel leakage.