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SEA91LA034

1990-12-15 · SNOHOMISH, Washington, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport NONE

Current FAA registration · N833Q

Make / Model
BEECH D50C
Year of manufacture
1960 · 30 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING GO-480 SERIES (295 hp)
Seats / Engines
6 seats · 2 engines
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AB64DD

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE OBSTRUCTION (PROTRUDING DOOR SUPPORT BRACKET) IN THE DOORWAY OF THE AIRCRAFT; FAILURE OF THE COMPANY/OPERATOR PERSONNEL, THE PILOT, AND THE SKYDIVERS TO ASSURE THAT THE DOORWAY WAS CLEAR OF OBSTRUCTIONS; AND SUBSEQUENT SNAGGING OF THE D-RING, WHICH RESULTED IN INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE PASSENGER'S (SKYDIVER'S) RESERVE PARACHUTE.

Factual narrative

DURING A SKYDIVING OPERATION, THE AIRCRAFT WAS SLOWED TO SLOW CRUISE FLIGHT FOR A PARACHUTE JUMP. AS SKYDIVERS WERE MOVING TO THE EXIT DOOR FOR A GROUP JUMP, THE D-RING OF ONE SKYDIVER'S RESERVE PARACHUTE BECAME ENTANGLED ON A PROTRUDING CABIN DOOR SUPPORT BRACKET. THE RESERVE CHUTE DEPLOYED & WAS CAUGHT IN THE SLIP STREAM. THE SKYDIVER WAS THEN PULLED FROM THE OPEN DOOR. HE IMPACTED THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, FELL 4000 FT TO THE GROUND & WAS FATALLY INJURED. MOST OF THE RIGHT STABILIZER WAS TORN FROM THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER ITS SEPARATION, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A DIVE & THE REMAINING SKYDIVERS JUMPED FROM THE PLANE. ONE OF THE OTHER SKYDIVERS WAS IN THE DOORWAY WHEN THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE BEGAN. HE HELD ONTO THE AIRCRAFT FOR A MOMENT AS IT SHUDDERED & STARTED TO DIVE, THEN 'LET GO.' DURING THE OCCURRENCE, HE RECEIVED A MINOR INJURY. THE PILOT REGAINED CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT & MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT AN AIRPORT WITH A LONG RUNWAY. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_SEA91LA034.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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