Incident Overview
A US Army Pilatus UV-20A and a Cessna 182C collided in midair approximately 4,800 feet mean sea level (msl) (2,800 feet above ground level) on the northeast side of runway 12, abeam the approach end. The collision occurred during parachute jumping operations at an airport where the drop zone was located west of the intersections of runways 12 and 03.
Flight Sequence
Both aircraft had conducted multiple flights taking jumpers aloft prior to the accident. The Pilatus departed runway 12 about five minutes before the Cessna's departure from the same runway. The Pilatus flew south and climbed to a jump altitude of 5,500 feet msl (3,500 feet agl). The pilot began the jump run on the southwest side of the runway, paralleling it on a heading of approximately 300 degrees. When he was one to two minutes from the drop zone, he broadcast his intent to drop jumpers.
The Cessna pilot, with four jumpers on board, planned his climb to reach jump altitude (5,000 to 5,500 feet msl) simultaneously with arrival over the jump zone. He departed runway 12 and executed a wide sweeping right turn around the airport to set up for the jump. As the Pilatus neared the jump zone, the Cessna was more than 1,000 feet lower and west of the Pilatus, climbing on a northerly heading. The Cessna pilot intended to turn right to parallel the left side of runway 12, then turn right toward the drop zone.
The jumpers in the Cessna looked out the right side and watched the Golden Knights exit their airplane. Their altimeters read 2,500 feet agl. The Cessna pilot turned to a heading of 120 degrees along the left side of the approach end of runway 12. He heard the Pilatus pilot announce on the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency that the Pilatus was downwind for runway 12.
Collision and Aftermath
Based on witness observations, the Pilatus was in a descending turn heading generally opposite to the downwind heading on the northeast side of the runway. Everyone in the Cessna heard a loud bang; the Cessna pilot felt something hit him in the head, and the airplane pitched down, losing several hundred feet of altitude. He noticed a blur of yellow and white out of his left window. The lead jumper decided they should exit, and all jumpers jumped. The Cessna pilot determined the airplane was controllable and landed safely.
Civilian and military witnesses on the ground heard the Pilatus pilot call downwind for runway 12. About ten seconds later, they heard intense transmissions over a loudspeaker and looked up to observe the Pilatus in a nearly vertical, nose-down slow spiral.
Damage
An open gash was found in the top of the Cessna's cabin on the left side near the wing root. The green lens and its gold attachment fitting from the Pilatus were on the floor behind the pilot's seat.