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Atlas / NTSB / NYC91LA183

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event NYC91LA183

1991-07-20 WAYNESVILLE, Ohio, United States Serious 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N9HW

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

BEECH B90

Year of manufacture

1969 · 22 years old at event

Engine

U/A CANADA PT6 SER 578HP (550 hp)

Seats / Engines

9 seats · 2 engines

Last airworthiness date

19690411

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S AC6B3E

Registrant of record

MULLINS MICHAEL

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE SHROUD LINES FROM THE PARACHUTE CUTTING THROUGH THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND DEFORMING THE LEFT ELEVATOR AFTER THE JUMPER HAD AN UNCOMMANDED DEPLOYMENT OF HIS RESERVE PARACHUTE AND WAS PULLED FROM THE AIRPLANE.

Factual narrative

AS THE JUMPMASTER AND STUDENT JUMPER BACKED INTO THE DOOR OF THE AIRPLANE IN PREPARATION FOR A TANDEM JUMP, HE HAD A UNCOMMANDED DEPLOYMENT OF HIS RESERVE PARACHUTE, THAT DRAGGED THEM OUT THE DOOR. THE JUMPERS WENT UNDER THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WHILE THE CANOPY WENT OVER THE TOP. AFTER A FEW SECONDS, THE PARACHUTE SHROUD LINES CUT THROUGH THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND DEFORMED THE LEFT ELEVATOR. THE TANDEM JUMPERS FELL FREE, CUT AWAY THE DAMAGED RESERVE PARACHUTE, AND DEPLOYED THE MAIN CANOPY. THE AIRPLANE LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER DAMAGE. A WITNESS SAW THE PILOT CHUTE FOR THE RESERVE PARACHUTE DEPLOY AS THE JUMPER BACKED INTO THE DOOR. HE SAID THE PARACHUTE WAS SECURE WHEN HE OBSERVED IT A FEW SECONDS PRIOR TO THE JUMP. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_NYC91LA183.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.