Incident Details
On a local skydiving flight from Grenchen Airport, a single-engine aircraft carried eight skydivers and one pilot. At an altitude of 1,000 meters, the instructor opened the door, and the pilot stabilized the aircraft while reducing speed. The first skydiver bailed out. As the second skydiver prepared to exit, the instructor observed that the second skydiver's dorsal parachute bag was partially open and decided to push him out of the cabin.
Sequence of Events
Immediately after pushing the second skydiver, the instructor heard a shock and saw that the horizontal stabilizer was damaged. It is believed that the first skydiver probably made excessive traction on a strap, which may have caused the automatic opening of the next skydiver's parachute. Consequently, all remaining skydivers and the instructor bailed out. The pilot attempted several times to stabilize the aircraft but was unable to reach Grenchen Aerodrome. At a height of 300 meters, the pilot also bailed out. The aircraft, now out of control, crashed in an open field and was destroyed. All nine occupants were uninjured.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the accident was the consequence of the following findings: poor layout of the automatic opening system of the straps in the cabin, and damage to the horizontal stabilizer by parachute elements.