Cessna 170B N211R accident near Mulberry, Florida

Probable cause

The failure of the pilot and the parachutist to see and avoid each other, which resulted in the airplane’s wing colliding with the parachute’s suspension lines.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that the airplane was on final approach for runway 32 about 15 feet above the ground when he observed a parachutist "drop down in front of" him. He maneuvered to avoid the parachutist; however, the airplane's right wing collided with the parachute's suspension lines. The airplane crashed nose-first into the ground, and the parachutist was thrown to the ground. The parachutist reported that he was maneuvering to land at the drop zone and was crossing the approach end of runway 32 about 75 feet above the ground when he first observed the airplane "coming at" him. The pilot was a resident of the fly-in community, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport/Facility Directory noted that parachuting operations were conducted in the vicinity of the airport. Although the airplane had been established in the traffic pattern and the parachutist had the opportunity to observe aircraft operations as he descended, it is apparent that the pilot and the parachutist were unaware of each other's presence until just before the collision. FAA Advisory Circular 90-66A, paragraph 9e, states, "Pilots and parachutists should both be aware of the limited flight performance of parachutes and take steps to avoid any potential conflicts between aircraft and parachute operations." Thus, both the pilot and the parachutist were responsible for being aware of each other's presence and avoiding each other.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA14LA146 for the full record.