| Description: This jumper's reserve container opened inadvertently while exiting from door of a Cessna Caravan. He was part of a relative work group. The camera man had already climbed out, and this jumper was backing out the door, as a middle person in a bipole. When backing out, he dragged the top of his container against the door, opening the reserve flap and dislodging the pin. Normally for this type of exit, the person in this position holds on by pressing their neck against the top of door frame, as both hands are busy grabbing the legs of the two outward-facing people in the formation. The reserve pilot chute came out, apparently on the "down" of the "up-down-go" exit count, and immediately after the group exited, his reserve parachute deployed from its freebag, over the top of the horizontal stabilizer, ripping it and much of the tail from the fuselage. Apparently, the parachute went over one side, he was (mostly) on the other, and the tail ripped off from all the forces. No actions were taken by this jumper after this point, so it is presumed he was knocked unconscious. He passed away shortly after impact with the ground. The other 10 jumpers and pilot escaped the aircraft and landed under their parachutes. The pilot exited the aircraft very low, deploying at approximately 500 ft. The pilot at this DZ only began wearing a parachute a few months prior to this incident; had he not been wearing one, he would have almost certainly been killed. Post mortem examination of the body and video demonstrated that it was likely the deceased was mortally wounded by impact with the tail. He was jumping a well-maintained 98/99 model Javelin NJ, which does have a tuck-tab type reserve closing flap. |