Fatal skydive crash pilot failed to pull Caravan out of intentional steep descent

Aircraft initially followed post-jump profile of previous flights before exceeding maximum speed limit.
US investigators believe a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan pilot intentionally put the aircraft into a steep descent after releasing skydivers, but failed to pull out before the aircraft exceeded its speed limits.

The aircraft crashed near Youngstown, New York, while participating in a skydiving festival at Windsor airport on 20 July 2024.

Its pilot, the only occupant after the skydivers exited, did not survive.

The aircraft had performed five previous flights on the day, each time levelling at about 10,000-13,000ft and then entering an initially steep descent once the skydivers had jumped.

This descent rate would reach 7,500-10,000ft/min before the pilot slowed to 2,500-5,000ft/min ahead of the landing.

But although, during the sixth flight, the aircraft initially followed a similar descent profile for about 14s, it entered a “near vertical” dive from which it did not recover, says the National Transportation Safety Board.

The aircraft reached 350kt, far exceeding its maximum operating speed, and descent rate increased to 35,000ft/min before it struck the ground.

Investigators found the aircraft’s elevator trim in the full nose-down position.

While neither the electric nor manual trim controls could be tested, owing to damage, the inquiry says the trim was likely to have been “intentionally placed into this position” to assist with entering and maintaining the descent.

“The investigation was unable to determine the amount of control force that the pilot would have needed to exert to pull out of the dive,” it adds.

But it points out that – once the descent had progressed beyond the profile of the earlier flights – the pilot would have had only 6s to recover before reaching maximum operating speed.

“Once the airplane exceeded this limitation, and given the pitch trim and engine power indications indicated by the post-accident examinations, it is likely that the pilot was unable to regain control of the airplane,” the inquiry states.

Excessive speed can result in flight-control flutter, damage, or structural failure, it says. Flight-control cable continuity could not be confirmed, but all primary and secondary flight-control surfaces were identified in the wreckage, with the exception of an inboard section of the left flap.

Investigators state that the pilot, who had been flying with the operator for three months, had 1,449h in total including 102h on type. The aircraft, N1259K, was a 2002 airframe.

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