What happened
During a scheduled skydiving flight operating under CFR Part 91, a pilot and ten passengers were aboard a turboprop aircraft when the plane experienced a critical loss of lift. As the aircraft began its initial climb, the nose pitch increased significantly. At an altitude of approximately 50 to 100 feet above the ground, the aircraft appeared to stall. This resulted in a descent that led to a left-wing, nose-low impact with the runway.
Findings
Investigations conducted by FAA inspectors at the accident site revealed that the aircraft's flight control continuity remained intact. However, the horizontal stabilizer was found to be in a significant nose-up trim position, measured at 56.5 percent. The aircraft is equipped with an electric trim system that includes a warning light designed to illuminate if the trim is set to "full-up" while the engine is operating at more than 80 percent power.
Documentation from the aircraft's flight manual includes specific warnings regarding the dangers of extreme out-of-trim stabilizer settings. The manual notes that such conditions, combined with aircraft loading and power settings, can lead to an uncontrollable aircraft after takeoff. Additionally, the manual cautions that incorrect trim settings can cause unrequested pitching or yawing. While the aircraft's checklist includes steps for verifying stabilizer trim settings, the pilot's shoulder harness was found to be folded and secured with tie-wraps, rendering it unused during the flight. There were no fatalities reported in the incident.