Thu, Aug 11, 2016
Skydivers Ordered To Evacuate The Airplane, Pilot Returned To Airport And Landed Safely
A plane with a pilot and 13 skydivers experienced an engine fire shortly after takeoff Sunday, but fortunately all of the jumpers were able to safely exit the airplane, and the pilot was able to land safely back at the airport.
The plane had departed Colorado Springs East Airport (CO94), and John Mahan, the co-owner of Out of the Blue Skydiving who was aboard the plane, said a bird strike may have been responsible for the fire, according to television station KDVR.
The impact was to the propeller on the left engine of the aircraft at about 2,600 feet AGL, and that engine subsequently caught fire. The pilot ordered an emergency evacuation of the airplane, and the nine solo jumpers were out in about 30 seconds, according to Mahan. Two first-time skydivers ... reported to be a man celebrating his 60th birthday and his son ... and their tandem instructors took a few extra seconds to check their gear before exiting the aircraft. All were out within a minute of the order, according to Mahan, who was one of the tandem instructors. He said he was the last one out of the airplane with the father, and he watched the plane return to the airport but did not see the actual landing.
Mahan said they usually jump at about 12,000 feet, but the order to abandon the aircraft came at about 2,600 feet. ABC News reports that Out of the Blue videographer Rusty Wardlow said some of the jumpers used their reserve parachutes because they were too low for the main canopies to deploy properly. All landed safely, but were scattered around the area, so Mahan said it took some time to track everyone down.
More News
Chaff Thin, narrow metallic reflectors of various lengths and frequency responses, used to reflect radar energy. These reflectors, when dropped from aircraft and allowed to drift d>[...]
“Today, XB-1 took flight in the same hallowed airspace where the Bell X-1 first broke the sound barrier in 1947. I’ve been looking forward to this flight since founding>[...]
“Teaming up with the EAA and Berlin Express for this event in Cincinnati will give warbird fans a unique opportunity to see the aircraft that helped defend freedom and gave t>[...]
Hazardous Weather Information Summary of significant meteorological information (SIGMET/WS), convective significant meteorological information (convective SIGMET/WST), urgent pilot>[...]
Aero Linx: The Nebraska Aeronautics Commission The Nebraska Aeronautics Commission was created by the 1935 Legislature to oversee the development of aviation in the state. The Comm>[...]