NTSB CAROL · Event
Event BFO91LA073
Registry · N171S
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
LANCAIR EVOLUTION
Year of manufacture
2017
Engine
P&W PT6A SERIES (500 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20201227
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A11E74
Registrant of record
COTTERKEY N171S LLC
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
THE PARACHUTIST FAILURE TO PROPERLY MONITOR AND SECURE HIS RELEASE HANDLE TO PROTECT AGAINST ACCIDENTAL PARACHUTE DEPLOYMENT.
Factual narrative
AS THE FIRST PARACHUTIST WAS PREPARING TO JUMP FROM THE WING AT AN ALTITUDE OF 12,000 FEET, HIS RESERVE PARACHUTE RELEASE HANDLE BECAME ATTACHED TO SOME PART OF THE AIRPLANE. BEFORE HE COULD REACT, THE PARACHUTE OPENED AND PULLED HIM FROM THE WING. THE PARTIALLY DEPLOYED CHUTE WRAPPED AROUND THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, SLAMMING HIM AGAINST THE AIRCRAFT. THE RIGHT STABILIZER BROKE AWAY AND THE JUMPER DESCENDED TO A SAFE LANDING UNDER THE DEPLOYED CANOPY. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND LAND WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1991_BFO91LA073.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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