What happened
A local skydiving operation departed from Breitscheid Airfield in a single-engine airplane. After climbing to the required altitude, the crew released 11 skydivers from the aircraft. Following the jumps, the pilot began the return leg to the airfield with one passenger remaining on board.
During the final approach, at an altitude of approximately 280 meters, the parachute belonging to the passenger deployed accidentally within the cockpit area. This deployment caused the passenger to be pulled from the cabin, resulting in a collision with the aircraft's elevators. This impact caused the aircraft to become uncontrollable, leading to a crash in an open field situated roughly 1,500 meters before the threshold of runway 07. The impact resulted in two fatalities, involving both the pilot and the passenger, and the single-engine airplane was completely destroyed.
Findings
- The accident was triggered by the premature deployment of a parachute inside the cabin.