C-130H joint Accident Investigation Board complete Published April 23, 2009 By Headquarters AMC Public Affairs Headquarters AMC Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Air Mobility Command and United States Special Operations Command today released the results of their joint investigation into the Jan. 29 accident involving a C-130H and the death of a USSOCOM parachute jumper at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. The jumper drowned after parachuting from the aircraft and landing in a lake adjacent to the base. The joint investigation determined human error caused the mishap. A combination of inaccurate airdrop calculations and delays in the execution of the airdrop sequence resulted in the jumper departing the aircraft later than he should have to land within the confines of the drop zone. Additionally, the mishap jumper did not turn into the wind during descent, which caused additional drift from the drop zone. It is not known why he did not activate his fully-operational life preserver upon landing in the water. The investigation also concluded the failure of the drop zone survey to properly identify the lake as a water obstacle within 1,000 meters of the drop zone, and consequent failure to comply with a regulation requiring a manned safety boat on the lake, were factors that substantially contributed to the accident. The aircraft was assigned to and flown by members of the 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson AFB, Colo. The aircrew was flying a joint training mission with members of USSOCOM at the time of the mishap.