PILATUS UV-20A, MARANA, ARIZ., MARCH 15, 2002–A U.S. Army chief warrant officer died when the Pilatus Turbo-Porter he was flying collided with a Cessna 182 during jump operations in March. The Pilatus pilot had just finished dropping five members of the Army’s Golden Knights parachute team. All of the Golden Knights jumpers landed safely, as did the pilot and four jumpers in the Cessna 182. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the Marana Northwest Regional Air Park.
According to a preliminary NTSB investigation, witnesses reported the Pilatus departed Runway 12 and headed to the south to climb to the jump altitude of 5,500 ft (3,500 ft agl). The pilot confirmed the drop zone was clear with the drop zone safety officer. He radioed the intent to drop jumpers when he was about 90 sec out and the skydivers began to jump as they deemed the flight path to the target correct. The first jumper told investigators he was in the air for a maximum of 1 min 30 sec and, as he approached the ground, saw people scattering.
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