Federal Aviation 

Administration 

Memorandum 

Date: 

To: 

From: 

Prepared by: 

Subject: 

Overview: 

July 31, 2015 

Thomas A. Winston, AS0-200, Division Manager 

Howard V. Hollis, Acting Manager, FSD0-13 

Howard V. Hollis, Acting Manager, FSD0-13 

Skydive Myrtle Beach Parachute Issues Updated on 8/13/2015 (Below) 

ASO-FSD0-13 visited with Arron Holly, owner of Skydive Myrtle Beach (SMB) on the 

morning of July 29, 2015. This visit, as anticipated, did not produce any satisfactory results. 

Mr. Holly said that he is in full compliance with CFR part 105, and does not believe that any 

parachutist that lands in other than an authorized drop zone does anything wrong. I showed him 

the five Mandatory Occurrence Reports (MOR) for the weekend, generated by ATC at North 

Myrtle Beach (CRE) as well as the Pedestrian deviation, and he believes they are all fabrications 

made up by ATC. He doesn't think that the tower should be at this airport because there is little 

traffic. 

There is a part 16 lawsuit between Horry County, SC and SMB. The lawsuit is a result of Horry 

County trying to get SMB off the airport at CRE. The folks working the tower at CRE are 

contractors that work, through a third company, for Horry County. Because of the lawsuit, there 

has been nothing in writing since the last agreement expired in 20 13. Therefore, there is nothing 

written that allows, or doesn't allow, anything that is going on. Holly said that because there is 

nothing in writing, there is also no drop zone at the airport that they are required to land in, and 

that jumpers can, and do, land anywhere on the airport. 

Mr. Holly believes that there is nothing wrong with landing on the taxiway, as long as the jumper 

gets right off. He also believes that a jumper can land anywhere on the controlled airport, 

because there is no current written agreement saying where they have to land. 

I told him the reason I was there was to attempt to reduce the amount of parachutist who land out 

of the drop zone, and to reduce the possibility of people getting hurt. He said that that it not 
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going to happen. He says that no one has been hurt in the three years they have been there, and 

there would not be any reduction in the jmnpers landing out of the drop zone, because the airport 

is where they can land, and not the drop zone as we know it. 

On May 31, 20 IS, SMB put eleven jmnpers out over the airport, and three of them made to 

airport, and eight of them landed on the beach, some 4500' away. This was done without FSD0-

13 providing authorization for them to land there. 

FSD0-13 has sent letters of investigation to SMB, one regular and one certified return request. 

SMB did not sign for the certified return receipt letter, and it was returned to us. The regular mail 

letter was not returned. We have got no response from either letter. FSD0-13 is proceeding with 

this enforcement case. We could not prove that the PIC, Adam Mabry, got paid for the flight so 

we had to close the EIR on him no action. 

We also sent a regular mail letter to SMB, asking for the names and contact information of the 

eight jumpers. 

We are requesting an administrative subpoena from FAA Legal at this time, to get this 

information from SMB. 

Mr. Holly never mentioned that there were any risks involved or not. 

Mr. Holly believes his company is doing everything correctly. 

No amount of discussion that I had with him changed anything. 

Update 8/12/2015 

We are going to CRE on August 12, 2015 to look at the aircraft and records, inspect any 

parachute riggers that are there, and the equipment they are using, to ensure they are complying 

with the rule. If we are denied access, we will issue a PBR, as well as give a copy ofthe rule(s) 

saying we have the authority to inspect. We will film this on a cell phone if possible. We should 

be able to do this because the inspectors likely will not be allowed in their hanger. 

I have looked at the airworthiness file, and found that in a lot ofthe STC's applied to this 

aircraft, there are preflight items that have got to be done. We will look for that to happen. 

We will also try to see if there is a current W &B and equipment list for the aircraft. I need to 

know if there is enough fuel, with 14 people plus the PIC on the aircraft at departure, to land 

with the required reserve remaining. This will take some work, but we will try. 

We will also try to hear the briefing given to the jumpers, if possible. 

We got the Administrative Subpoena this morning. We are hand delivering it today. If they 

don't accept it, thru legal we will get the US attorney involved. 
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There were four MORs this weekend. We cannot get copies until the Tower manager comes 

back on Monday. Two were concerns, one a Cessna Citation had to stop on the taxiway to let a 

parachutist get his chute off of the taxiway, and another when a jumper had to cut away his 

main, and was away from the other jumpers descending. Tower didn't see this jumper because of 

the tower roof. They let an aircraft takeoff, and although not close, was a concern because they 

didn't know the jumper was there. 

8/13/2015 At 1645 on 8112/2015, FSD0-13 inspectors were denied access to the aircraft, 

records, any certificated parachute riggers, and entrance into the hanger at SMB. We told him of 

the applicable rules that require the FAA to be allowed access to the aircraft and records. He told 

us to contact the owner of the aircraft, and we advised him that he is he operator. He also said the 

pilot does not work for him, but works for the owner of the aircraft. Following the denial, we 

presented Arron Holly with the Administrative Subpoena requesting information about eight 

parachutist landing on the beach on May 31, 2015. We also issue a Pilots Bill of Rights to him. 

The administrative subpoena was issued after SMB refused a certificated letter requesting this 

information, but the letter sent regular mail was not returned. 

This entire event was videoed by one of the inspectors, and was accomplished outside on the 

ramp at CRE. We presume they videotaped it as well. 

We will continue working this issue and take the next steps. We have got to read the guidance 

and comply with it, whatever we do. 

Background: 

The Part 16lawsuit has been going on since 2013, and since that time, Skydive Myrtle Beach has 

not had any written agreement with Horry County. This allows for SMB to land anywhere on the 

airport, because nothing in writing, that is a current agreement, says anything different. 

Purpose/Goal: 

Something is going to have to get done by the Division of Airports and Horry County to 

somehow settle this lawsuit, and either get the drop zone redone at the airport, or move the drop 

zone off of the airport. Otherwise, we will continue to have people landing on taxiways, 

runways, and may eventually have someone hurt, or worse. 

Key Attendees/Individuals of Interest 

Arron Holly Telephone is 901-322-3807 

PIC Adam Mabry Telephone is 606-776-6165 
Political Considerations/ Other Dynamics: 

We are told that Adam Mabry, the PIC mentioned above, has got enough hours to apply 

elsewhere, and is doing so at this time. 

Attachments: 

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We have attached a video, and still pictures of a parachutist landing on the ramp/taxiway area of 

the airport. These photographs and video show the parachutist land in front of an aircraft, that 

aircraft stopping, and the parachutist pulling his parachute out ofthe way of the aircraft. 

Expected Questions & Suggested Answers: