This is pretty cool...

https://www.startribune.com/local/230375891.html

SUPERIOR, Wis. — Two planes carrying skydivers collided in midair Saturday evening in far northwest Wisconsin, but no major injuries were reported.

Mike Robinson, an instructor and safety adviser for Skydive Superior, said he and 10 others escaped relatively unharmed after one plane crashed into the other during what he said was a common tandem formation.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Roland Herwig said the collision occurred about 6 p.m. at about 12,000 feet.

Robinson said he and four others were preparing to jump from the lead plane with the trailing plane hit their craft. He said the impact caused a fireball and sheared off the craft's right wing. Robinson said all five skydivers on his plane and four on the trailing plane were able to jump free.

"The pilot of our plane was very lucky to get out," he said, adding that he managed to escape using an emergency parachute.

Robinson said the pilot of the other plane was able to land the damaged craft back at Richard I. Bong Airport, where it took off. He said the pilot who escaped the destroyed plane was taken to an area hospital with minor injuries. Herwig said the lead plane broke into three parts, with debris landing on the airport property and an adjacent retail area.

Superior Police Department Deputy Chief Matt Markon said in a statement Saturday night that the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were expected to arrive in the area on Sunday.

"We do this all the time," Robinson said. "We just don't know what happened for sure that caused this."

Amazing. Wonder if any of them had a GoPro on...I can't believe they all survived a midair at 12000

Funny thing about skydivers: a lot of them don't care for flying. They'd be nothing but a vapor trail at the first sign of trouble.

There is nothing more frightening than civilian pilots flying formation. I know a bunch of CFI's that do it on occasion and it's always a shit show...I'm really surprised they haven't bent metal yet.

And damn, guess the pilots wearing a chute did come in handy. I would like to take back the bitching I did for the 6-9 months I was a sky diving pilot.

Funny thing about skydivers: a lot of them don't care for flying. They'd be nothing but a vapor trail at the first sign of trouble.

The feeling is mutual. I don't care for skydiving.

There is nothing more frightening than civilian pilots flying formation

2.

Was driving home the other day and saw two Cessnas flying some sort of bastardized extended trail (~500ft apart) through TCM's airspace. While interesting, it was evident they didn't know what they were doing.

The article I read said the pilot was able to eject safely.........

I think Mr. Twain would also apply this to TV and internet news.

“If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you're mis-informed.” ― Mark Twain

Are skydiving pilots required (or do they just usually) wear parachutes? The article sort of makes it seem like the pilot rushed to the cabin, grabbed an emergency parachute, and then quickly put in on and bailed all while the plane was falling to the ground lol.

C130 Driver wrote:

~~~~~~~~~~~

Per the morning news, the trailing aircraft got caught in the "tail wind" caused by the lead aircraft, causing it to ram the tail of the lead aircraft. You can't make this crap up

~~~~~~~~~~

I heard he got tangled in some flight line.

Edited November 4, 201312 yr by sky_king

I'm 98.696969% (repeating of course) they're required by the FAA to wear parachutes. I've only seen a couple pilots not wear them and their parachutes were sitting next to their seat.

NBC evening news just aired video from multiple go-pros the skydivers were wearing.

It was pretty damn amazing. They said more would be aired on the Today show Tuesday.

Rumor mill today (at a certain airplane factory up Nort') was that they had GoPro footage, but were holding out until they had enough 0's in the purchase price. I guess this confirms that! N

Edited to add that link below now contains video as well.

Some stills here;

https://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/04/21308806-exclusive-images-show-skydivers-terrifying-collision-and-chaotic-plunge?lite

Edited November 5, 201312 yr by flynhigh

Ho Lee Fuk

Rumor mill today (at a certain airplane factory up Nort') was that they had GoPro footage, but were holding out until they had enough 0's in the purchase price.  I guess this confirms that!  N

 

Edited to add that link below now contains video as well.  

 

Some stills here;

https://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/04/21308806-exclusive-images-show-skydivers-terrifying-collision-and-chaotic-plunge?lite

Wow! That is nuts. The dude hanging on the wing strut was lucky not to get squished between the two airplanes!

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

There is nothing more frightening than civilian pilots flying formation.

Here is a 49 ship formation over Kansas from a few days ago. A great percentage were civilians.

Not to detract from the discussion (that video was insane, glad everybody got out) but its completely normal to see general aviation aircraft flying formation routinely including around populated areas like LA. I've seen everything from Cessnas and Piper Cubs flying fingertip to Stearmans doing formation aerobatics around the harbor. Not sure how many of those guys were ex-military, but its nothing unusual.

Video released: https://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/04/21308806-exclusive-images-show-skydivers-terrifying-collision-and-chaotic-plunge?lite

Are skydiving pilots required (or do they just usually) wear parachutes? The article sort of makes it seem like the pilot rushed to the cabin, grabbed an emergency parachute, and then quickly put in on and bailed all while the plane was falling to the ground lol.

Unless it has changed in recent years, there is no FAA requirement for jump pilots to wear an emergency parachute. If the aircraft door has been removed or modified for jump operations (most aircraft) the special release for operation may require the pilot to wear one, but not always. It's not required, but obviously a good idea according to most jump pilots. There are lots of stories about jumpers hitting the tail and damaging flight controls. Not to mention flying around with the door open could be hazardous to one's health.

Anyone notice homenugget paying attention to the jumpers and not his 'lead'? No wonder he ran into the other plane...and of course the guy that caused the accident is the one that landed ok.....

Anyone notice homenugget paying attention to the jumpers and not his 'lead'? No wonder he ran into the other plane...and of course the guy that caused the accident is the one that landed ok.....

I noticed the same thing. I would have liked to have heard the conversation lead had with two when they reunited.

Not to mention flying around with the door open could be hazardous to one's health.

Welp, we're boned.

Edited November 6, 201312 yr by Breckey

Cessna strut braced wings don't normally EVER fail in flight. The taildragger flies on top of the nosedragger's left wing, with it's landing gear hitting the trailing edge and belly hitting the top of the left wing. (180 hits 182).

182's RIGHT wing fails upward, flops up and over its fuselage, into the prop of the taildragger, which sets one of the fuel tank alight, plus the rest of the 182.

Well, now I know what can fail the wing of a strut-braced Cessna.

Good thing there was no "Wee Too Loww" involved.

Someone can add another verse to "Two's Blind".

Anyone want to speculate on what brought the two aircraft together? Was it the jumpers out the door changing the flight characteristics, or was it simply someone not paying attention?

I will speculate that it was both. I have done some flying with various doors open on a Cessna and objects/people hanging out. The movement of people changing the CG as well as the added drag from the doors open and people on the wing require a lot of control input. If you divert your attention for even a moment to watch the skydivers, you will very likely also divert from the attitude/altitude/heading you were initially holding.

For you wingman out there, your primary responsibility is deconfliction, which you do by staying visual and flying the briefed formation position.

Cap-10

Edit: I type gooder.

Edited November 8, 201312 yr by Cap-10