Back in the early 1980's, my Dad and his best friend opened a business together. It was located in an industrial park next to the small local airport that had a skydiving operation. While we were building out the space we broke for lunch and sat on the loading dock out back facing the airport. It was a nice sunny Saturday afternoon and they were jumping. We watched in horror as someone fell back to Earth with an unopened canopy trailing them like a giant streamer. They came down pretty fast and I'm pretty sure it was fatal. I don't remember the date of the accident or outcome.
Was driving home from work one Saturday morning and a bunch of skydivers came down around me. A pair of them came down on the road in front of me. Their chute hadn't opened. It forever cured me of my desire to skydive. But it did lead to a career as a trauma nurse.
From what I can see it’s a canopy malfunction called a ‘cigarette roll’.
The jumper has to make a decision, try and correct malfunction or pull reserve. That type of reserve chute is a little better than 50/50 at saving the day.
No rush in making that decision, you have the rest of your life.
82nd Airborne Rigger 1995-1998. I packed over 5000 Personel chutes and hundreds of heavy drop chutes with zero malfunctions.
A skydiving friend used to bring skydiving magazines into work. The obituaries in the back invariably said "cause of death: impact". (Which, come to think of it, isn't all that bad obituary to have.)
BTDT. 3yrs 82d Abn Div, 4 years Special Forces. Jumpmaster, Master Parachutist.
Yes, that was a malfunction, and the trooper did what he had to do. I'm betting that he still has his anus glued shut.
I was also a sport parachutist. Packed my 'chute one evening late, a friend asked to jump it, (ripcord deploy), he had one more before he could use a hand deploy. Loaned him my rig, (rental from the 82d club), and when he left the UH-1, he had a streamer that I had packed. One suspension line over the parachute, and it rolled up into a big malfunction. He cut it away and dumped his (my) reserve. We were both done for the day.
Bin there, done that, got the t-shirt. It was my last jump on the 12th of May 1987, a date I obviously I'll never forget - got lucky and the reserve worked but I still broke my left leg.
Friend of mine was Airborne. He said in training when they would load on the planes the loud speakers would be blaring, An another one down an another one down an another one bites the dust.
Back in the early 1980's, my Dad and his best friend opened a business together. It was located in an industrial park next to the small local airport that had a skydiving operation. While we were building out the space we broke for lunch and sat on the loading dock out back facing the airport. It was a nice sunny Saturday afternoon and they were jumping. We watched in horror as someone fell back to Earth with an unopened canopy trailing them like a giant streamer. They came down pretty fast and I'm pretty sure it was fatal. I don't remember the date of the accident or outcome.
ReplyDeleteIf I saw this correctly, one jumper's chute didn't open until shortly before he hit the ground. I would like to hear his story.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, my favorite uncle had his back broken by a late emergency chute. He spent WWII guarding German POWs at Tullahoma.
ReplyDeleteWas driving home from work one Saturday morning and a bunch of skydivers came down around me. A pair of them came down on the road in front of me.
ReplyDeleteTheir chute hadn't opened.
It forever cured me of my desire to skydive. But it did lead to a career as a trauma nurse.
From what I can see it’s a canopy malfunction called a ‘cigarette roll’.
ReplyDeleteThe jumper has to make a decision, try and correct malfunction or pull reserve. That type of reserve chute is a little better than 50/50 at saving the day.
No rush in making that decision, you have the rest of your life.
82nd Airborne Rigger 1995-1998. I packed over 5000 Personel chutes and hundreds of heavy drop chutes with zero malfunctions.
It looks like it could be Luzon, St. Mere drop zones.
DeleteDig up the videos of the humvees that didn't deploy their chutes
ReplyDeleteA skydiving friend used to bring skydiving magazines into work. The obituaries in the back invariably said "cause of death: impact". (Which, come to think of it, isn't all that bad obituary to have.)
ReplyDeleteThat was browwn-trousers time for that guy. Lucky as hell!
ReplyDeleteBTDT. 3yrs 82d Abn Div, 4 years Special Forces. Jumpmaster, Master Parachutist.
ReplyDeleteYes, that was a malfunction, and the trooper did what he had to do. I'm betting that he still has his anus glued shut.
I was also a sport parachutist. Packed my 'chute one evening late, a friend asked to jump it, (ripcord deploy), he had one more before he could use a hand deploy. Loaned him my rig, (rental from the 82d club), and when he left the UH-1, he had a streamer that I had packed. One suspension line over the parachute, and it rolled up into a big malfunction. He cut it away and dumped his (my) reserve. We were both done for the day.
the current reserve canopy has a very high success rate compared to the old "pull the handle and throw the bundle" style.
ReplyDeleteBin there, done that, got the t-shirt. It was my last jump on the 12th of May 1987, a date I obviously I'll never forget - got lucky and the reserve worked but I still broke my left leg.
ReplyDeleteFriend of mine was Airborne. He said in training when they would load on the planes the loud speakers would be blaring, An another one down an another one down an another one bites the dust.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzrYgDnewSI
ReplyDelete