PAC-750, HB-TCP, Grenchen, Switzerland, 18 February 2024

The Commission is assisting an investigation by the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB) into a fatal accident involving a Pacific Aerospace PAC 750 aircraft, registered HB-TCP. The circumstances notified to the Commission were that on or about 18 February 2024, 13:04 UTC, the aircraft, operated by Skydive Grenchen, was dropping parachutists when an issue occurred, resulting in the aircraft becoming uncontrollable and causing it to crash. The pilot was fatally injured, and one parachutist was injured. The aircraft was 900 metres southwest of runway threshold 06 Grenchen airfield when the accident occurred.

Executive summary

The Commission is assisting an investigation by the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB) into a fatal accident involving a Pacific Aerospace PAC 750 aircraft, registered HB-TCP.

The circumstances notified to the Commission were that on or about 18 February 2024, 13:04 UTC, the aircraft, operated by Skydive Grenchen, was dropping parachutists when an issue occurred, resulting in the aircraft becoming uncontrollable and causing it to crash. The pilot was fatally injured, and one parachutist was injured. The aircraft was 900 metres southwest of runway threshold 06 Grenchen airfield when the accident occurred.

New Zealand is the State of Manufacture of the aircraft, and the Commission received the request from STSB on 14 August 2025. TAIC has opened this inquiry under section 8(2)(e) of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission Act 1990 (to cooperate and coordinate with other accident investigation organisations overseas, including taking evidence on their behalf) in order to provide an Accredited Representative to assist the STSB with their inquiries.