Far North Freefall Club

Cessna 208 Caravan I

The pilot of a Cessna 208 aircraft, registered VH-DVS, was conducting parachute operations for Far North Freefall Club at Tully Airport, Queensland. After successfully completing 2 parachute drops that morning, at 0950 local time the aircraft took off for the third load of the day with 17 parachutists on board. The plan was for the parachutists to conduct a 16-way formation filmed by a parachuting camera operator. After the aircraft climbed to about 15,000 ft, the pilot signalled to the parachutists to exit. The camera operator stepped out onto a small step and held on to the fuselage outside and aft of the cabin door. As the first parachutist (P1) stepped out the door to assume the most forward (front float) position, their reserve parachute inadvertently deployed, dragging P1 backwards and dislodging the camera operator into freefall, causing them a minor injury. P1’s legs were injured as they struck and damaged the aircraft’s horizontal stabiliser. The parachute wrapped around the horizontal stabiliser and the elevator, suspending P1 beneath it. Thirteen parachutists exited the aircraft and 2 remained in the doorway, watching as P1 used a knife to cut sufficient reserve parachute lines to enable the parachute to tear free. P1 then deployed their main parachute, which tangled with the remnants of the reserve parachute. P1 was able to untangle the lines and regain sufficient control of the main parachute to land without further incident. Despite control difficulties due to substantial damage to the horizontal stabiliser and part of the reserve parachute wrapped around the tail, the pilot safely landed the aircraft at Tully Airport. Contributing factors As the parachutist climbed out of the aircraft and into the front float position, their reserve handle snagged on the aircraft's wing flap, resulting in deployment of the reserve parachute and entanglement with the empennage. The parachute wrapping around the horizontal stabiliser, combined with damage from impact with the parachutist's legs, resulted in aircraft control difficulties.