Cessna 205 N8214Z

Summary

On 25 May 1997 at about 17:51 local time, a Cessna 205 registered N8214Z, operated by Skydive, Inc., was involved in an accident near Homestead, Florida, United States. 7 people were on board and 6 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 May 1997 at 17:51

Classification

Accident

Location

Homestead, Florida, United States

Coordinates

25.4895, -80.5093

Aircraft

Cessna 205

Registration

N8214Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Skydive, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Skydiving

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA97FA173

6 people died.

The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain airspeed as he slowed for a parachutist to jump from the aircraft, and his failure to apply spin recovery emergency procedures prior to ground impact. Contributing to the accident was the pilot-in-command's lack of training in spin recovery emergency procedures in an aircraft, and the FAA's failure to require that a pilot demonstrate spin entry and spin recovery techniques in an aircraft.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

A passenger-parachutist stated she had exited the cabin and was on the jump platform preparing to jump from about 3,500 feet when the left wing and nose dropped and the aircraft entered a spin to the left. After an unknown number of revolutions she jumped from the aircraft and deployed her chute. She observed the aircraft continue in a spin until ground impact. She stated the engine sounded normal prior to the aircraft entering the spin. She also stated that the aircraft appeared to be flying at a slower than normal speed as she exited the aircraft based on less wind forces acting on her. Postcrash examination of the aircraft structure, flight controls, engine, and propeller showed no evidence of precrash mechanical failure or malfunction. A review of the pilot's logbook and flight training records from the university where he attended showed no record of his having performed spins or spin recoveries in an aircraft. The records did show that he received ground instruction in spin entry and spin recovery techniques. FAA regulations require that a private or commercial pilot have received ground instruction in spin entry and spin recovery techniques but does not require the private or commercial pilot to have performed spin entry and spin recovery techniques in an aircraft.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.