7 Survive Tail Incapacitation... 6 jumpers and One Well-Prepared Pilot

A Saturday afternoon jump run, originating from SkyDive Kansas City, went bad when it was reported that, "a Skydiver premature parachute deployment at 14,000 msl damaging the tail section." 

The turbine-upgraded Cessna 206, N29173, was abandoned by the pilot, who made a safe and successful jump, though the aircraft is a total loss. The parachute-equipped jump pilot exited the aircraft after all six jumpers had cleared the aircraft. 

The plane impacted in a field just east of Butler Memorial Airport in Butler, Missouri. Equipped with a Turbine Conversions Pratt Ltd Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-20 550 hp turbine conversion, the aircraft was carrying a full load of 6 jumpers along with the Pilot-In-Command. 

The Bates County Sheriff reported that EMS treated everyone involved, at the scene, and released them. Cessna 180 series and 206 series airplanes are staples at dropzones all over the country and turbine versions are particularly sought after due to their ability to climb, rapidly, to altitude and return ASAP to set up for another jump run. 

Inadvertent deployments of parachutes at close proximity to the airframe are a major hazard, and while such incidents are rare, a deployment over or through the tail of an aircraft can easily rip it from the rest of the airframe and make the aircraft uncontrollable. This is one of the reasons that most jump pilots are chute-equipped themselves (as they should be). 

We'll have more information when it becomes available. 

FMI: www.skydivekc.com