23 Matches (out of a total of 833 incidents)
  1. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    30/12/1995 Cal City, CA SUI 2 N/N    
    Description: According to Jumpmaster and observers, student left airplane with all gear on correctly. While under canopy the student, around 1000ft., unclipped legstrap and chest strap, removed radios, gloves and helmet, then jumped/fell from her harness. Rig came to the ground empty. Student was prevented from jumping in just her jacket, which was found to contain a large carpet knife.
    Lessons:Looking for suspicious/depressed behavior in students is hard. There really isn't a foolproof way to keep people from bouncing who want to bounce. I wish they'd go do it bungee jumping though.
  2. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    08/03/1997 Franklin, IN BIZ?,SUI? 56 ?/N    
    Description: After a solo freefall from 8200 ft. and the deployment of an apparently OK canopy, the deceased cutaway his main canopy 100-300ft.
    Lessons:There is some possibility that an RSL might have made a difference here. Given the level of experience of the jumper, a suicide is a possibility.
  3. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    13/04/1997 Reno, NV BIZ,SUI? 46 1 N/Y?    
    Description: Details sketchy, but it appears after an okay jump from 4500 ft, the main parachute was cut away from the harness at about 100 ft, too low for the reserve to open. He had performed normally during his canopy flight, until 1000 ft when he turned downwind and ran away from the DZ. The cutaway handle was pulled, and found apart from the body. No equipment problems were found. There was no AAD on this rig, but this was not a direct contributing factor. However, almost every single DZ in the country uses AAD's on their rigs. This does not make this look like a good operation. The student was not given an alitimeter.
    Lessons:A mystery, however, not giving a student an altimeter isn't the greatest idea. Perhaps this was out of confusion, or was a suicide.
  4. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    11/05/1997 Perris, CA SUI 37 3000 N/Y    
    Description: The deceased was calm in the airplane, and exitted at 4500 to do a hop and pop, following a CRW team. He told the people on the plane "there's a letter in my van" as he bailed. He was observed to be head down after exit, and flat and stable from 1500ft to the ground. All handles were in place. What was beleived to be a suicide note was found in his van. His CYPRES was turned off.
    Lessons:Please don't kill yourself skydiving -- we don't need the bad press. If you must end it all, please do it some other way. Sheesh.
  5. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    27/05/1997 Parachutisme de l'aerodium in St-Simon, QuebecCanada NOP,SUI? 26 Y/?    
    Description: The jumper had his equipment checked twice by instructors at the centre (they felt he needed it) ans a third time in the plane. His aad, an FXC was activated and in the jump position. This was verified twice. Expert witnesses at the dz attest that it was a no pull in a very stable position. The jumper was not trying to open the chute. After impact, witnesses and the police state that his AAD was in the closed position. I can not go on any speculation right now as to the causes of this no pull and the fact that the AAD was closed, when two expert witnesses attest that it was in the jump position at the start of the jump.
    Lessons:-
  6. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    16/07/1998 Mollala, OR SUI,NOP 35 200 ?/?    
    Description: Following a RW dive, this jumper failed to deploy anything. The coroner ruled this death a suicide given reports from family and friends concerning this person's recent behaviour and actions.
    Lessons:Please, choose a different way to end your life besides skydiving. You're only causing additional pain to people whom you may not even realize probably care about you.
  7. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    06/09/1998 Elsinore, CA SUI?,NOP 37 34 N/N    
    Description: On his 3rd or 4th jump of the day, the deceased went in with no handles pulled except for his cutaway. Discussions with family and friends lead to the theory that this incident could very well be a suicide. The police report concurs.
    Lessons:If you are ever tempted, consider seeking professional help.
  8. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    28/11/1998 Skydive Arizona, AZ NOP,SUI 120 ?/N?    
    Description: The deceased made a solo freefly jump with no helmet or altimeter. He was not noticed as missing until Sunday, and not found til Monday. No attempt to pull any handles was evident. It is suspected his CYPRES was off.
    Lessons:Suicide seems like a possibility, but perhaps just a case of losing track of altitude in a very, very serious way.
  9. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    20/02/1999 Air Ventures, GA SUI 26 86 Y/Y    
    Description: For this third jump of the day. the deceased made a solo skydive and was last to exit from 13,500 feet. His intentions were to deploy at 12,000 feet. He was advised by staff members not to deploy at this altitude due to cold temperatures and prevailing high winds aloft. A citizen called and advised that a parachutist landed in a wooded area near their home and that he appeared to be slumped in the harness as if he was unconscious. A member of the Floyd County Emergency Management Team found the deceased's body approximately 2.5 miles away from the drop zone. While at the scene, it was discovered that he had a gunshot wound to the chest. The subsequent investigation and coroner's report determined that Michael successfully deployed and apparently shot himself while under his main canopy, dying of his self-inflected gunshot wound. The other 13 jumpers and pilot on the plane did not notice anything unusual during the ride to altitude. He was not a regular jumper at this DZ.
    Lessons:I hate to have to include this incident, as it is not really a "skydiving" accident, in any sense other than that it happened during a skydive. Unfortunately, if I don't include it, people who "heard about something in Georgia" will want to know what's up. And, since I have included, I've gotten a half dozen mails asking me to remove it. It's a no-win situation.
  10. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    26/07/1999 Brisbane, Australia SUI 39 200 N/Y    
    Description: On a solo skydive, following a 4- and 8- way out, this jumper intentionally failed to deploy either parachute. He was not discovered missing until a farmer found his body in a field about a week after the incident. A clear suicide note was found in his belongings.
    Lessons:As always, please choose a different mechanism for killing yourself. And consider talking to someone about it first…
  11. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    14/08/1999 Skydive Skyranch, AR SUI 23 95 Y/N    
    Description: This jumper exited at C-182 at 4500, immediately began to track, holding that position until impact. A suicide is suspect, but not confirmed. There is significant circumstanial evidence... He borrowed a knife from another jumper prior to this jump, and his reserve lines were found to be cut. His CYPRES AAD was also turned off. Finally, he was arrested for his fourth DWI the night before.
    Lessons:Sigh.
  12. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    30/10/1999 Lodi, CA NOP,SUI 23 255 Y/?    
    Description: After a two-way from 13,000, the deceased and his partner broke-off the dive at 4200 ft. The other jumper opened at 3500 feet. No canopy was seen to be deployed. After an extensive search below the opening point of other jumper, the police were called in with dogs and helicopters. The body was found quite a distance away, having impacted with considerable forward velocity. It would appear the deceased tracked from breakoff until impact. No handles had been pulled. His FXC AAD (12000 or ASTRA unknown) was not turned on.
    Lessons:It is unclear why this accident occurred.
  13. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    24/03/2000 Sitiawan, Malaysia BIZ,SUI 38 200 N/N    
    Description: This was the deceased's third jump of the day, exiting from 6,000 ft. with 9 other jumpers who all deployed at 3000ft. He continued to fall past this altitude flat & stable until 2000ft, when he went into a flat spin, screaming (according to eyewitnesses on the ground). He remained in this configuration until impact at a traffic light junction. No attempt was made to deploy main or reserve, though his cutaway pad was missing. Search failed to locate this handle.
    Lessons:It is unclear what caused this accident. Perhaps he couldn't find his main handle and panicked, pulling the cutaway instead of the reserve. Alternatively, though this seems unlikely without other support circumstantial evidence, a suicide one possible explanation.
  14. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    30/09/2000 Mount Vernon, MO NOP,SUI? 35 209 Y/N    
    Description: The dive plan was to freefly a 4-way from Cessna 182 at ~ 9500' with one sit flyer and three belly flyers. On exit the group experienced a great deal of separation and the deceased began to dive at the sit fly base. He was unsuccessful at docking on the base and was observed at ~4000', slightly above one of the other jumpers, to turn and track away. Another jumper deployed his canopy at 3500' and while watching the deployment observed the deceased to fall past him ~50' away in a belly to earth position and continued in what appeared to be a stable position until just before impact. Investigation at the scene indicated that neither the main or reserve canopy had been deployed prior to impact. The container was equipped with a CYPRES, however it appears that the unit had not been activated prior to the jump.
    Lessons:It is unclear why this experienced jumper failed to deploy either canopy. Had the CYPRES been turned on, it is unlikely this incident would be reported here.
    USPA Description: After break-off from a routine 4-way formation skydive, this jumper was observed in freefall flat and stable until impact.
    USPA Conclusions:The investigation detrmined that no handles were pulled and no attempt to pull was observed before the jumper struck the ground. His rig was equipped with an AAD that was apparently turned off. He was on watch at his place of employment for depression and there was a concern that he was suicidal. It was not reported whether anyone at the DZ was aware of the concerns that his employer had.
  15. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    29/07/2001 Albstadt EDSA, Germany NOP?,SUI?,MED? 50 950 Y/?    
    Description: This was this skydivers 4th jump of a day, a solo skydive. No canopies were deployed and the CYPRES did not fire. It is unclear why this incident occurred.
    Lessons:More info appreciated.
    Fallschirmsportverband Description: - it was his 4th jump of the day
    - no main canopy deployed but cutaway and reserve were pulled
    - Cypres fired, but reserve loop uncut
    - fatal injuries from impact
    - pilotchute, reserve and freebag where lying next to the body, pilot chute was still in the pocket
    - why was Main not deployed?
    - cutaway was probably pulled to low (under 80m) and reserve was deployed
    - AAD was probably adjusted wrong => fired after Reserve was deployed

    It is reported that AirTec investigated the AAD so it is therefore assumed that it was a Cypres.
    Fallschirmsportverband Conclusions:
  16. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    22/09/2001 Picton, Australia NOP, SUI? 24 1000 N/?    
    Description: This jumper was making a solo sit skydive, and impacted, for no readily apparent reason, with no handles pulled. He appeared to impact in a sitting position. The dytter in the helmet seemed to have dead batteries, and malfunctioned even when the batteries were replaced. Video of the exit taken by another skydiver showed no collision with the aircraft. Given no evidence of any gear problems, a suicide is definitely a possibility here.
    Lessons:A working AAD would almost certainly have made a difference here, unless this was an intentional, and most unfortunate, act.
    APF Description: The jumper was making a solo sit-fly jump. It was his second jump of the day. His first was the 2-way filmed by the jumper who earlier hit the ground hard under a spinning reserve. The deceased was seen to have a clean exit from the aircraft in a tuck position, and was observed stable in freefall by another jumper. The deceased was observed from the ground by witnesses who saw him freefall in a stable sit position to impact, with no aparrent attemp to deploy either parachute.
    APF Conclusions:At the current time, inspection of the parachute equipment is limited to witnesses who observed that the BOC, cutaway pad, and reserve handle were still in place and that the main and reserve container were still closed. The audible altimeter, although not working after the impact, had a good battery and the red LED could be illumintaed.
    The jumper was also wearing a wristmount altimeter and a hrad helmet. He was not wearing an automatic opener.
    The deceased was a current jumper, with equipment in good condition. He was doing a jump within his experience and capabilities, and with the correct equipment. No logical skydiving reason can be determined for the no-pull.
  17. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    26/05/2002 Skydive City, FL SUI 49 4000 Y/N    
    DropZone.com Description:
    Lessons:
    Description: This jumper was part of a 7-way group freefall skydive that was otherwise routine. Other participants and witnesses on the ground observed him after a normal breakoff tracking away all the way to impact with no attempt to open either parachute.
    Conclusions:All handles were found in place, and the AAD was found turned off. The AAD functioned normally when it was turned on and off at the scene. The jumper wsa stable throughout the freefall, which would indicate that he remained concious. There was no further information available at the time this report was written.
  18. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    09/09/2002 Varrelbusch, Germany BIZ,SUI? 30 Y/Y    
    DropZone.com Description:
    Lessons:
    Fallschirmsportverband Description: Student jumper had 30 millitary static line jumps. - First civilian jump after complete training
    - Fully inflated main, jumper reacted to radio, normal flight
    - At about 200m suddenly, totally unnecesarily cutaway
    - Cypres fired Reserve at about 20-30m
    - RSL was deactivated on the ground (after incident), even though Jumpmaster and the spotter said it was conected during the gearcheck and when he left the plane - deadly injuries upon impact
    - mysterious order of events with unanswered questions
    Fallschirmsportverband Conclusions:
  19. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    05/06/2003 Marl, Germany NOP, SUI? 57 800 Y/?   #508316
    Description: The 9th of 10 skydivers to leave the plane at 4000 metres (and having declined the offer to join the jump formation of the other 9), the jumper deployed his main chute flawlessly at 1500 metres, then detatched this at 600 metres. There jumper did not attempt to deploy his reserve chute, and hit the ground in the drop zone at circa 200 km/h (120mph), with death on impact due to massive head and internal inuries. The jumper was a career politician who, after an often controversial career spanning 30 years, was recently forced to resign from his party after causing it extensive damage in the last federal elections by controversial statements and implication in donation scandals. He had done his compulsory German military service as a paratrooper, was a Lieutenant in the reserves, and still an active skydiver (often using his jumps as PR stunts for election campaigns), with over 800 successful jumps to his name. Minutes before the incident, the German Bundestag (federal parliament), of which the jumper was still a (party-less) member, suspended the victim's immunity from prosecution, and at the time of impact, police agencies were conducting raids on the jumper's properties and bank accounts in four countries.
    Lessons:
  20. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    15/05/2004 Wild Geese, Northern Ireland SUI? 43 763 ?/? 23 #1078793
    DropZone.com Description: An off duty soldier died after making a parachute jump in Co Londonderry. Sgt David Halls, 43, from Bangor Co Down, died while taking part in a jump at the Wild Geese Skydiving Club near Garvagh.

    A message was found in his car explaining that this was a Suicide.
    Lessons:
    BPA Description: At approximately 14:10 hours on Saturday 15th May 2004, the jumpers boarded a Cessna ‘208’ Caravan aircraft along with seven other parachutists, which was to be the sixth lift of the day.

    The aircraft climbed to approximately 13,000ft AGL. A ‘jump run’ was made over the centre of the PLA. Once the aircraft was at the correct Exit Point the first two parachutists to exit were David and another parachutist, who were jumping together. The remaining six parachutists, two Tandem pairs and their video cameramen, exited shortly after.

    He was carrying out a two-way FS jump. The planned free fall part of the descent went without incident. At approximately 5,500ft AGL the parachutists separated on a signal from David. The other parachutist deployed his parachute at approximately 3,500ft AGL.His parachute was not observed to deploy. All the remaining parachutists’ canopies were seen to deploy normally and were observed to be flying correctly.

    The DZ controller only observed five fully deployed canopies and could not locate the sixth canopy. Shortly after, a search was instigated in order to locate the missing parachutist. At approximately the same time a local resident informed the Club that he had located the body of a parachutist.
    BPA Conclusions:The first part of the jumper's descent was uneventful. The two parachutists separated in free fall at an altitude to allow them sufficient time deploy their parachutes at a normal height. The other parachutist deployed his parachute at approximately 3,500ft AGL. He observed that the deceased continued to descend in free fall before loosing sight of him.

    The Board believe that there could only be one of three reasons for this fatality. That he, (i) lost altitude awareness, (ii) could not deploy his parachute for some unknown (to the Board) medical reason, or (iii) most likely, he intentionally did not deploy his parachute.

    The Technical Officer advised those present for information, that the Board also believed that the health centre stamp on his Doctor’s Certificate was not authentic.
  21. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    30/05/2004 Strathallan, Scotland SUI 39 1000 ?/? 26 #1096705
    Description: This jumper became separated from his gear during a 2-way freefly jump on the sunset load. It is likely that this was suicide.
    Lessons:
    BPA Description: At approximately 21.15 hours on Sunday 30th May 2004, the jumper boarded a Dornier G-92 aircraft along with fourteen other parachutists, which was to be the thirty-ninth lift of the day and his second jump of the day

    The aircraft climbed to approximately 13,000ft AGL. A ‘jump run’ was made over the PLA. Once the aircraft was at the correct exit point, the first two groups of five parachutists exited, followed by two other parachutists. The jumper and another parachutist then exited, followed some ten seconds later by the final parachutist.

    He was carrying out a two-way freeflying jump. He and the other parachutist exited linked together. They spun for a number of seconds and then separated. By the time he was seen again (between twenty-five and thirty seconds after exiting the aircraft), it was observed that his harness and container was detaching from him. After which he was observed to go into a head down position, followed approximately five seconds later by adopting face to earth position, before being lost from view.

    The DZ controller observed only fourteen fully deployed canopies and could not locate the fifteenth canopy. The parachutist who jumped with the deceased reported what he observed, once he had landed and the Club’s ’Fatality Procedures’ were put into place.

    When the aircraft landed it was noted that his goggles, altimeter, gloves and mobile phone had been left in the aircraft.
    BPA Conclusions:Approximately twenty seconds after exiting the aircraft the deceased became detached from his parachute harness and container.

    The Board believe that he either (i) inadvertently became detached from his equipment - though this would have been very difficult to achieve, as both his leg straps would have needed to be loose and his chest strap undone or, more probably, (ii) he intentionally removed his equipment whilst in freefall.
  22. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    15/08/2004 Empuriabrava, Spain SUI ?/? 48 #1202397
    Description: An employee of the dropzone who worke don manifest borrowed a rig and did a solo jump on the sunset load. No parachute was deployed and the AAD was not switched on. Other circumstances suggest that this was suicide.
    Lessons:
  23. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    19/09/2004 PINK, Austria SUI 44 100 Y/? 74  
    DropZone.com Description: Jumper exited last on a 6000m sunset load and did not pull any parachute. Impact in a tracking position.

    The Cypres was turned off.
    Lessons: