SHK today presented its final report on site in Örebro, about the plane crash at Örebro Airport on July 8, 2021, where nine people died. The Commission notes that “the investigation has identified several latent dangers that have arisen over a long period of time”.
In this case, SHK states, eight parachutists would jump from a height of 1,500 meters. The weather was good and after takeoff the aircraft climbed to 400–500 feet above the ground, before changing course 180 degrees to the left.
SHK states that the aircraft rapidly turned around in a descending turn with a large side slope. Before the crash, the aircraft dived steeply and then leveled off a bit, before hitting the ground. The landing gear was knocked off during the crash. The plane crashed on its belly and started to burn.
No technical error
Just as SHK previously stated, no technical fault has been found on the plane that could have affected the accident. Nor has anything been found to indicate that the pilot’s mental or physical condition was impaired before or during the flight.
The investigation shows that the elevator trim was in an abnormal position for take-off and that the aircraft was too rear-heavy. This meant that the so-called lever forces were greater than normal and that the aircraft became more difficult to handle.
The pilot probably lost control of the aircraft when the wing flaps were retracted, according to SHK, and due to the low altitude, he was then unable to regain control.
Risk analysis had been needed
According to SHK, a “purposeful risk analysis” would have been able to identify several hazards, and it is now questioned whether pilots performing non-commercial flights in parachute operations have been given sufficient tools to carry out such an analysis.
SHK also gives a number of recommendations to prevent similar accidents. One such is that the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) introduces a training that leads to a special qualification for pilots performing parachute operations, which also includes refresher training.
The text is updated