In this study, the dynamic instabilities of a nonlinear elastic system subjected to follower forces are investigated. The two-degree-of-freedom double pendulum model with nonlinear geometry, cubic spring, and linear viscous damping is used for the study. The constant, the initial impact forces acting at the end of the model are considered. The chaotic nature of the system is identified using the standard methods, such as time histories, power density spectrum, and Poincare maps. The responses are chaotic and unpredictable due to the sensitivity to initial conditions. The sensitivities to parameters, such as geometric initial imperfections, magnitude of follower force, direction control constant, and viscous damping, etc., are analysed. Dynamic buckling loads are computed for various parameters, where the loads are changed drastically for the small change of parameters.