Wayne F. Kidrowski
December 25, 1956 - August 16, 2013
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Wayne Kidrowski, 56, fell to his death on Aug. 16 after he was sucked out of an open door of an airplane owned by Brooklyn-based Skydive Iowa. The parachute he was told to wear deployed in the plane without warning, according to the lawsuit.
Kidrowski’s parachute got caught on the plane’s tail before he fell 600 to 700 feet to the ground, the lawsuit said.
Attorneys for Kidrowski’s wife, who was named administrator of his estate, believe the plane’s pilot and owners weren’t in compliance with federal safety regulations, according to the lawsuit sent to Poweshiek County on Tuesday. The lawsuit names Skydive Iowa and its owner, Bruce Kennedy, as well as the pilot, Andrew Arthur, as plaintiffs.
Kennedy declined to speak with a reporter, citing the litigation. Kennedy said the skydiving business remains open. Arthur could not be reached for comment.
During the August flight, Kidrowski had agreed to ride with Arthur in the Cessna 206 from Brooklyn to the Grinnell Regional Airport so that the airplane could undergo maintenance, according to the lawsuit. The plane had no seat for Kidrowski with a safety belt, because all seats except for the pilot’s had been removed, the lawsuit said.
An employee of the skydiving company who is also named in the lawsuit, Brent Rhomberg, gave Kidrowski a parachute to wear during the flight even though Kidrowski had no intention of skydiving, according to the lawsuit. Rhomberg acted negligently in requiring the parachute, the lawsuit said.
“Wayne Kidrowski would not have been pulled from the aircraft and killed if he had not been required to wear a parachute,” the lawsuit said.
The plane’s right-side door had been removed, and a “roll-up style door” on the airplane was not used during the flight, leaving the door open, according to the lawsuit.
Under federal law, planes can be flown without doors specifically for skydiving, the lawsuit said.
Further, the pilot failed to provide a pre-flight briefing, which could have included safety equipment information, the lawsuit said.
Kidrowski’s parachute deployed when the plane was flying at an altitude of more than 1,000 feet, according to the lawsuit. The wind dragged the parachute and Kidrowski out of the plane, and then the parachute got caught on the plane’s tail, the lawsuit said.
The parachute, stuck on the tail, caused the plane to stall and descend about 300 feet, according to the lawsuit. When Arthur got control of the aircraft again, Kidrowski’s parachute came off the tail, and the pilot believed Kidrowski “had control” of the parachute, the lawsuit said.
Kidrowski was a father of two adult daughters and had two granddaughters and worked at the Brooklyn Elevator, his widow, Cindy Kidrowski, confirmed for The Des Moines Register through an attorney.
The lawsuit asks for damages for “loss of spousal support” as well as “loss of enjoyment of life” and “pre-impact terror.” The lawsuit also asks for punitive damages, levied to punish plaintiffs for negligent or reckless behavior.
An average of 21 people die each year in skydiving accidents, said Jim Crouch, director of safety and training for the United States Parachute Association. Such deaths are commonly caused by human error, such as opening a parachute once a skydiver is too low to the ground, or by two divers colliding mid-air, he said.
Crouch said the association was aware of Kidrowski’s death, but did not include the death in its count because he wasn’t on a skydiving flight.
Crouch declined to comment on the specific actions leading to Kidrowski’s death, but said all skydive operators are responsible for ensuring they are complying with all laws and Federal Aviation Administration regulations.
Source: http://www.desmoinesregister.com
Wayne Kidrowski - Obituary: http://www.smithfh.com
Skydive Iowa Inc: http://www.skydiveia.com
BROOKLYN AIR INC., N2070K: http://registry.faa.gov/N2070K
NTSB Identification: CEN13LA500
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, August 16, 2013 in Brooklyn, IA
Aircraft: CESSNA 206, registration: N2070K
Injuries: 1 Fatal,1 Uninjured.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On August 16, 2013, about 1730 central daylight time, a Cessna 206 airplane, N2070K, was damaged inflight near Brooklyn, Iowa. The commercial pilot was not injured; however, the passenger was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Brooklyn Air Inc., and operated by Skydive Iowa Inc., under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as positioning flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The flight originated from Skydive Iowa Airport (09IA), Brooklyn, Iowa, and was en route to Grinnell Regional Airport (KGGI), Grinnell, Iowa.
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Wayne Kidrowski, 56, of Holiday Lake near Brooklyn, IA died on Friday, August 16, 2013, of injuries he received in an accident near Brooklyn.
A celebration of life gathering will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Friday, August 23, 2013 at the Holiday Lake Community Center.
Should friends desire, memorials may be directed to the Wayne Kidrowski Memorial Fund and sent in care of the Smith Funeral Home, P.O. Box 368, Grinnell, IA 50112.
Wayne was born on December 25, 1956, in Cresco, IA to Robert H. and Giovanne Pecinovsky Kidrowski. He attended Mayo High School in Rochester, MN and later attended Hawkeye Technical College in Waterloo, IA.
He worked with the Iron Workers Local Union #89 for over 23 years and lived in Waterloo, IA. Following his retirement he worked for the Brooklyn Elevator and worked as a maintenance man at the Guernsey location. He was married to Cindy Johnston Eakins on September 4, 2011 at Holiday Lake near Brooklyn.
Wayne was a master welder and was involved in the construction of the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, IA and the Isle Casino in Waterloo, IA. He was an avid Harley motorcyclist and he enjoyed traveling to bike rallies in Sturgis, SD and Daytona Beach, FL. Wayne received his work ethic and skills from his father, which enabled him to do such things as to build his own home at Holiday Lake. While living at Holiday Lake he enjoyed fishing and spending time outdoors.
Survivors include his wife, Cindy Kidrowski of Grinnell; two daughters, Kari Kidrowski of Muskegon, MI and Kristi Kidrowski of Evansdale, IA; one step-daughter, Shanna Eakins of Waterloo, IA; one step-son, Joel Eakins of Ames, IA; two granddaughters, Kiara and Winter McGee; four sisters, Renee (Robert) Smeby of Lake Shore, MN, Cheryl Kidrowski of Plainview, MN, Mary (Vince) Anderson of New Port Richey, FL, and Carolyn (Pete) Jorland of Bovey, MN; and three brothers, Fred (Colleen) McCall of Mantorville, MN, Bobby Kidrowsky of Bloomington, MN and Jack (Angie) Kidrowski of Dickinson, ND.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
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The widow of a Brooklyn man killed last year in an unlikely airplane accident has filed a lawsuit claiming that negligence by a skydiving company and pilot caused her husband's death.
Wayne Kidrowski, 56, fell to his death on Aug. 16 after he was sucked out of an open door of an airplane owned by Brooklyn-based Skydive Iowa. The parachute he was told to wear deployed in the plane without warning, according to the lawsuit.
Kidrowski's parachute got caught on the plane's tail before he fell 600 to 700 feet to the ground, the lawsuit said.
Attorneys for Kidrowski's wife, who was named administrator of his estate, believe the plane's pilot and owners weren't in compliance with federal safety regulations, according to the lawsuit sent to Poweshiek County on Tuesday. The lawsuit names Skydive Iowa and its owner, Bruce Kennedy, as well as the pilot, Andrew Arthur, as plaintiffs.
Kennedy declined to speak with a reporter, citing the litigation. Kennedy said the skydiving business remains open. Arthur could not be reached for comment.
During the August flight, Kidrowski had agreed to ride with Arthur in the Cessna 206 from Brooklyn to the Grinnell Regional Airport so that the airplane could undergo maintenance, according to the lawsuit. The plane had no seat for Kidrowski with a safety belt, because all seats except for the pilot's had been removed, the lawsuit said.
An employee of the skydiving company who is also named in the lawsuit, Brent Rhomberg, gave Kidrowski a parachute to wear during the flight even though Kidrowski had no intention of skydiving, according to the lawsuit. Rhomberg acted negligently in requiring the parachute, the lawsuit said.
"Wayne Kidrowski would not have been pulled from the aircraft and killed if he had not been required to wear a parachute," the lawsuit said.
The plane's right-side door had been removed, and a "roll-up style door" on the airplane was not used during the flight, leaving the door open, according to the lawsuit.
Under federal law, planes can be flown without doors specifically for skydiving, the lawsuit said.
Further, the pilot failed to provide a pre-flight briefing, which could have included safety equipment information, the lawsuit said.
Kidrowski's parachute deployed when the plane was flying at an altitude of more than 1,000 feet, according to the lawsuit. The wind dragged the parachute and Kidrowski out of the plane, and then the parachute got caught on the plane's tail, the lawsuit said.
The parachute, stuck on the tail, caused the plane to stall and descend about 300 feet, according to the lawsuit. When Arthur got control of the aircraft again, Kidrowski's parachute came off the tail, and the pilot believed Kidrowski "had control" of the parachute, the lawsuit said.
Kidrowski was a father of two adult daughters and had two granddaughters and worked at the Brooklyn Elevator, his widow, Cindy Kidrowski, confirmed for The Des Moines Register through an attorney.
The lawsuit asks for damages for "loss of spousal support" as well as "loss of enjoyment of life" and "pre-impact terror." The lawsuit also asks for punitive damages, levied to punish plaintiffs for negligent or reckless behavior.
An average of 21 people die each year in skydiving accidents, said Jim Crouch, director of safety and training for the United States Parachute Association. Such deaths are commonly caused by human error, such as opening a parachute once a skydiver is too low to the ground, or by two divers colliding mid-air, he said.
Crouch said the association was aware of Kidrowski's death, but did not include the death in its count because he wasn't on a skydiving flight.
Crouch declined to comment on the specific actions leading to Kidrowski's death, but said all skydive operators are responsible for ensuring they are complying with all laws and Federal Aviation Administration regulations.
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14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, August 16, 2013 in Brooklyn, IA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/07/2014
Aircraft: CESSNA 206, registration: N2070K
Injuries: 1 Fatal,1 Uninjured.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
Before departure for the positioning flight, the pilot was told that an observer/passenger would be joining him for the flight. The airplane, which was typically used in skydiving operations, had its right cabin door removed, and a fabric roll-up jump door had been installed; it was not closed during the flight. The pilot reported that the passenger sat behind him on the right side of the airplane and that he heard him attach his seatbelt. During the flight, the passenger moved forward in the cabin, which resulted in the passenger's reserve parachute inadvertently deploying and the passenger being pulled through the open jump door. The passenger hit the doorframe, and the parachute became entangled with the empennage, which resulted in a loss of airplane control and a subsequent aerodynamic stall. The parachute eventually separated from the empennage, and the pilot was able to regain control of the airplane and land it without further incident. A postaccident examination revealed that the passenger had inadvertently attached his seatbelt to the handle that released the reserve parachute. Therefore, the reserve parachute deployed when the passenger moved. The pilot did not conduct a safety briefing before the flight; however, the improper routing of the seatbelt may not have been identified even if he had conducted a safety briefing. Additionally, if the jump door had been closed, it is likely that the passenger would not have been pulled out of the airplane.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The improper routing of the seatbelt, which resulted in the inadvertent deployment of the reserve parachute, and the open jump door, which allowed the passenger to be pulled from the airplane.
On August 16, 2013, about 1730 central daylight time, a Cessna 206 airplane, N2070K, was damaged inflight near Brooklyn, Iowa. The commercial pilot was not injured; however, the passenger was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Brooklyn Air Inc., and operated by Skydive Iowa Inc., under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as positioning flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The flight originated from Skydive Iowa Airport (09IA), Brooklyn, Iowa, and was en route to Grinnell Regional Airport (KGGI), Grinnell, Iowa.
According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to position the airplane to Grinnell, Iowa, so that maintenance could be conducted. After starting the airplane engine and preparing to taxi, the pilot was notified by the company tandem master that a passenger would be joining him for the flight to Grinnell as an observer. Both the pilot and passenger were wearing parachutes, as required by the company policy. The airplane was used in skydive operations and the right-side, cabin door had been removed.
The pilot reported that the passenger boarded the airplane, took a seat on the right side of the airplane, behind the pilot, and fastened his seatbelt. He stated that he did not inspect the seatbelt and had heard the "click" of the seatbelt as it was latched. No passenger briefing was provided by the pilot. Shortly after departure, the passenger elected to move from his position behind the pilot to a position in the front of the airplane, beside the pilot. As the passenger was moving, the reserve parachute, in the passenger's parachute-pack, deployed and the passenger was pulled from the airplane.
The pilot stated that as the passenger exited the airplane, he heard a loud "bang". At the same time, the parachute became entangled in the empennage. The airplane pitched up approximately 50 degrees, banked 80 degrees to the right, and stalled. Eventually, the parachute separated from the empennage and the pilot was able to recover the airplane between 600 and 700 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot observed the parachute open, and about 100 feet agl, the parachute made a sharp right turn. The pilot assumed that the passenger was controlling the parachute.
According to one witness on the ground, he observed the canopy of the parachute circle several times before the parachute seemed to go straight down. Another witness commented that the parachute was very low and very fast. A witness responded to the location where the parachute came down and found the passenger unconscious and without a pulse. According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, who conducted the autopsy, the passenger died from multiple blunt force injuries.
The pilot continued to KGGI and landed without further incident. A post-accident examination of the airplane revealed minor damage to the fuselage at the door frame and skin damage to the horizontal stabilizer. Blood was found on the door frame of the airplane where the passenger egressed. Further examination revealed that the "D" ring, or handle that released the reserve parachute, was buckled into the seatbelt.
A review of the airplane operating limitations, "Limitations for the Operation of an Aircraft with a Door Removed" – stated that "when operations other than intentional parachute jumping and skydiving are conducted, a suitable guardrail or equivalent safety device must be provided for the doorway."
The pilot reported that a "roll-up door" was installed on the airplane but was not in use at the time of the accident flight because of the warm temperatures and because one of the devices used to fasten the corner of the door to the airframe was broken, preventing them from properly securing the door.
Despite multiple attempts, the pilot refused to provide the required Pilot Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report, National Transportation Safety Board Form 6120.1/2.
http://registry.faa.gov/N2070K
NTSB Identification: CEN13LA500
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, August 16, 2013 in Brooklyn, IA
Aircraft: CESSNA 206, registration: N2070K
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On August 16, 2013, about 1730 central daylight time, a Cessna 206, N2070K, sustained minor damage inflight near Brooklyn, Iowa. The commercial pilot was not injured; however, the passenger was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Skydive Iowa Inc., under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as positioning flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The flight originated from Skydive Iowa Airport (09IA), and was en route to Grinnell Regional Airport (KGGI), Grinnell, Iowa.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the accident, the airplane was on a positioning flight for maintenance. Both the pilot and passenger were wearing parachutes, per company policy. Approximately 1,500 feet mean sea level, the passenger attempted to move forward in the airplane and sit next to the pilot. The d-ring on the passengers parachute was inadvertently activated, deploying the parachute, and egressing the passenger out of the airplane.
The pilot heard the egress, circled over the passenger, and observed a deployed canopy from the parachute. The pilot continued to KGGI and landed without further incident.
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The eastern Iowa man who died in a parachute accident aboard a skydiving plane Friday was on the plane to observe, not jump, said Skydive Iowa owner Bruce Kennedy. The victim, whose name is still being withheld by authorities, died after his parachute prematurely deployed during take-off from the Skydive Iowa facility at Brooklyn, in Poweshiek County, around 5:24 p.m. Friday.
The pilot, the only other person on the plane, was uninjured. “It appears that (the victim) had injuries from the ejection out the door,” Kennedy said Saturday. Anyone who goes up in an aircraft at Skydive Iowa wears a parachute, Kennedy said. The victim had previously gone on 10 to 12 observation rides.
“He knew everybody who works here,” Kennedy said. “It’s a very sad day.” Premature openings of parachutes have caused accidents, but not at Skydive Iowa, Kennedy said. He described the incident as “a freak accident.” The accident is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration, Iowa State Patrol and the Poweshiek County sheriff’s office, according to a news release.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com
Owner of Skydive Iowa in Brooklyn, Bruce Kennedy says yesterday was an ideal day for skydiving. Kennedy says, “5-10 mile an hour winds it’s just perfect.”
Despite last night’s perfect conditions, his long-time customer wanted to enjoy the weather from a plane instead. Even though his friend had no plans of diving, Kennedy requires everyone wear a parachute just in case. But this symbol safety turned deadly, when it accidentally opened… sucking the rider out of the plane during takeoff. Kennedy says, “It’s tragic. There’s just no words to describe it.”
Not knowing what went wrong, the only thing he wants to do is the one thing he can’t. Kennedy says, “Doesn’t do much good just to crawl in a hole, which is what we all kind of want to do but so it’s best that we just go on with our daily routine.”
Avoiding the darkness he looks to the sky and thinks of his friend. Kennedy says, “He could have been a skydiver you know with his Harley Davidson and his hunting skills and stuff, he lived on the edge.” And shares this edge with others looking for the rush he enjoys every day.
