110 Matches (out of a total of 833 incidents)
  1. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    30/03/1997 Skydive Arizona, AZ LAND 32 700 ?/?    
    Description: Current reports indicate she had a rough landing, impacting feet-knees-face under a 1.2 loaded Stilletto. She was airlifted from the scene with with head injuries. She died later at the hospital of these injuries. She was wearing a leather frap hat. This was on a 100-way skydive [130-way women's record], so there were many other jumpers in the air. Winds were light with little turbulence.
    Lessons:Frap hats can concentrate the force of any impact to a smaller area, quite the opposite of the function of a protective helmet. Some rough turbulance, downdrafts or wind shear is throught to have contributed to the rough landing. On every landing, no matter how many jumps you have, you should be prepared to PLF, and stand up only when things have gone right. It takes dicipline to do this every time, but it's worth cultivating the habit.
  2. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    06/04/1997 Wilmington, DE EXC,LAND 50 ?/?    
    Description: The jumper was a member of the National Guard's Special Forces Unit. As previously reported, the winds were not stronger than expected. The officer in charge and a jumper on that demo state that the wind and weather had absolutely nothing to do with the jumpers death. The winds were less that 12 mph for the entire time and were known prior to the jump. On a demo jump into a Wilmington Minor League baseball game, the jumper impacted a horizontal cable use to support the backstop behind first base. His cutaway cable was pulled during contact with the cable and he fell from his canopy 40 feet to the ground below. The impact to the cable and the fall combined to cause his death.
    Lessons:On all jumps, expecially demos, jumpers should observe the landing area and mentally picture their canopy landing pattern and review landing contingencies well above 1000 feet. They should constantly evaluate their progress and options throughout the landing pattern and take necessary actions if required. Contrary to previous implications, this jump was not a paid jump.
  3. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    01/06/1997 Hemet, CA LAND? 38 4794 ?/?    
    Description: The deceased was on a sunset load at around 7:00 PM, they were doing a three way out of a King Air. The rest of the load was Tandems. Everything went fine, and he had a good canopy over his head at proper altitude. At about 700' he got into severe line twists and impacted the ground around 50-70 mph. He was air-lifted out, but died on 6/6/97. He had approximately 15 jumps on this canopy, a Stilleto 150, having jumped a PD190 and PD210 for a long time. He was a test jumper in the Navy, with multiple tours of duty, and 30 days until his 20 years. . He was probably loading it somewhere between 1.35 and 1.45 lb/ft^2, a *significant* wing loading. It is not known if the line twists were self-induced or the result of rotors/turbulence/etc. He was a very experienced skydiver, tandem instructor, videographer, etc. who gave much more to the sport than he took.
    Lessons:It is possible to put heavily loaded ellipticals into line twists with extreme control inputs. Once begun, they may be impossible to resolve. (This can also happen at openning.) This is an addition risk once accepts when jumping a heavily (1.2+?) loaded elliptical, and requires extra attention to avoid. One person suggested perhaps dumping one's reserve in this situation - if you're too low to cutaway, and you're going to hit really hard anyways, more nylon will either slow you down, or collapse the remaindered of your canopy. Tough call.
  4. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    02/08/1997 Quincy, IL LAND 27 417 ?/?    
    Description: The deceased was apparently was attempting to avoid power lines during an off-dz landing when he landed on a steep, grass-covered incline on the southeast side of a pond. He broke both legs. He was helicoptered to a nearby hospital, alert and concious, but died the next morning.
    Lessons:Select your off-DZ landing site carefully. Deciding to land near a pond is a bad idea to begin with, and giving yourself fewer options can only cause trouble once you get down low and realize there's a hill, powerlines, and other obstacles in the area. Pick the widest, "opennest" area you can find, and don't sweat the walk.
  5. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    01/09/1997 South America? BIZ?,LAND? ?/?    
    Description: Rumor has it a four way ended up a mile out to sea. Three of the four jumpers drowned. 2 cutaway much too high over the water. The other person who drowed was wearing a weight vest.
    Lessons:Never ever ever ever *EVER* cutaway to try to splash down in the water! Every couple of years someone does this and goes in -- just don't do it! If you wear a weight vest and you are jumping near a LARGE body of water, you might want to redesign it with velcro shulders or something so that it can be *rapidly* removed, preferably under canopy.
  6. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    28/09/1997 Taylorville, IL LOWT?,LAND? 42 4000 ?/?    
    Description: Two reports indicate a lost toggle on landing, though there is conflict as to wether a low turn (intentional or not) was involved. More firm info appreciated - particularly concerning currency, canopy, and windloading.
    Lessons:Constant vigilance. I recommend mentally drilling yourself on lost-toggle-just-before landing procedures. This is a serious, potentially fatal scenario, just as much as a malfunction up high. Perhaps drilling up high as well would be prudent, until you can quickly switch from toggles to risers and not totally stall the canopy. Though even this might be preferable to landing in a dive.
  7. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    15/10/1997 Sydney, Australia EXC,LAND?,LOWT? 35 800 ?/?    
    Description: The winds were up yesterday (Saturday), but were within limits. The demos were from one of the RAAF's herc's from the Richmond Air Base in NSW, Australia, and I think, were being spotted by the military ( It's possible that the spot was long, and that she was trying to get that bit further back - she did not land in the main designated landing area. To the best of my knowledge, we don't know if it was a hook (she was jumping a Stilleto 135 or 150) or if is was turbulence due to the strongish winds that caused her to have the hard landing. Loading was likely 1.15lb/ft^2 to 1.25lb/ft^2, moderate for that canopy. The tandems at our DZ were also having minor problems with the winds First reports were that she had landed very heavily - half an hour later, broken jaw plus many other broken bones, and lots of internal injuries. A short time later, we got a third call saying that she had passed away. She was an active AFF jumpmaster who followed the progress of those students who continued jumping, and will be very very missed by everyone.
    Lessons:Demos are perhaps the highest risk skydive one can easily make. Be aware.
  8. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    31/01/1998 Rome, GA LAND? 47 671 NA/NA    
    Description: The deceased performed a turn hard enough to induce line twists in the canopy, probably at around 500+ feet. He tried to kick out of the line twists, but the toggle was locked down by the tension. He completed three full spirals before impact.
    Lessons:Know thy canopy. Getting it into line twists can be a very serious situation, as this incident demonstrates. Perhaps dumping the reserve (NOT cutting away), might have slowed things down slightly, but this is pure speculations. This is one of the risks of jumping a more heavily loaded (perhaps elliptical) canopy.
  9. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    10/02/1998 Thailand LAND 38 750 ?/?    
    Description: On Feb. 10Th. 16 people from a load of 55 landed in the water; fifteen were rescued but, one skydiver was missing; only his parachute was found. Examination of his parachute harness, showed an open chest strap and loosened leg straps. This skydiver opened the lowest from his group, at around 3000 feet and was apparently disoriented. He first flew under his canopy towards sea, then toward land. He was completely detached and lower than his fellow skydivers who were all further up wind and higher up. A fellow skydiver saw him from a distance land down wind, not flaring his parachute and hit the water at a high rate of speed, upper body first. It is assumed that his feet made the first contact with the water, projecting his upper body forward whereby his face hit the water very hard making him unconscious. Search and rescue missions by airplane, helicopter, speedboats and local fishermen boats were conducted until dark, where search operations had to be stopped. The search and rescue missions continued until two days after the local fishermen found the body of the missing skydiver floating in the water, 8 kilometers from the sight of the accident. Whatever caused landing in the water, it was certainly a combination of many factors: winds, spotting, communication with the cockpit, too low opening, etc.
    Lessons:
  10. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    25/06/1998 Duanesburg, NY LAND 21 200 ?/?    
    Description: On a day with rather high winds, this jumper experienced a canopy collapse at low altitude (50-100ft), leaving little or no time to react.
    Lessons:-
  11. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    04/07/1998 Skydive Chicago, IL LAND 35 500 N/Y    
    Description: This is updated information for the fatality on Sat. July 4 '98.The formal investigation was completed Wednesday July 8 '98 by the FAA,LaSalle County Sheriff, and an S&TA Equipment:Main Triathlon 170 (7 cell), Reserve Raven 2 with RSL in place and no AAD, Container Javelin J4, Chest mount Alt. and Jack knife (still in place), Collapsible slider. The jumper was found approximately 400 yards from where he had opened withboth brakes off and the slider had been collapsed.This indicates that the jumper was conscious, aware, and in control of his canopy after opening.From witness reports he had exited from 13,000 feet with 6 other jumpers onan organized dive.After a few failed attempts to dock with the others he tracked away andpulled at approx. 3,000 feet.An S&TA saw the jumper spiral for the last 200 feet before impact. He was found with his right foot entangled in the right risers.The main canopy was inspected and found in good condition.The jumper had over 500 jumps most of which were successful CReW jumps.From his experience, body position, and extreme spiraling action, it is believed that once he had flown back to the airport he had attempted to invert himself in the harness, perhaps attempting a handstand on top of his slider, while steering wit his foot in the cascades of the suspension lines. During this maneuver, he likely entangled his right foot in the risers/lines forcing a normally docile canopy into an extreme spiral.This radical of a spin under this type of canopy cannot be achieved with any kind of toggle action.
    Lessons:This would have been better attempted at a much higher altitude.
  12. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    12/07/1998 Parkman, OH MED,LAND 44 1500 ?/?    
    Description: This jumper likely suffered a diabetic reaction while under canopy, at somewhere between 300 and 500 ft. He slumped in his harness, driving his parachute into a fast spin, which continued until impact. He died aboard a helicopter in route to the medical center.
    Lessons:While there is no conclusive proof that the accident was related to this jumpers known medical condition (Diabetes), it seems the most likely explanation at this time. The high-performance canopy he was probably using served to exacerbate the spin, and thus the extent of the injuries.
  13. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    12/07/1998 Merrit Island, FL LAND?,LOWT? 37 ?/?    
    Description: This jumper apparently collided with a hanger and died later at the hospital from injuries sustained from the collision.
    Lessons:-
  14. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    09/08/1998 Kapowsin, WA LAND,BIZ 23 1 Y/Y    
    Description: After a normal tandem skydive, at about 300-400 feet, one side of the canopy collapsed (perhaps due to thermals off of the runway), causing the tandem pair to spiral into the ground. The student died immediately, and the instructor was taken to hospital by helicopter.
    Lessons:This appears to be an absolute fluke, unrelated to any actions taken by the instructor or his student.
  15. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    04/10/1998 Titusville, FL LAND 44 400 ?/?    
    Description: A local and frequent jumper at Skydive SpaceCenter, Titusville, FL died after sustaining injuries in an off-airport landing. The jump was a 4-way RW jump, part of a 4-way Scrambles competition. Exit altitude was 13.5k ft. There were no reported equipment malfunctions. Indications are that the accident was a result of maneuvers to avoid power lines. There was no intentional hook turn-type landing attempted.
    Lessons:Choose your off-field landing sites with care!
  16. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    23/10/1998 Pahokee, FL LAND 50 13 ?/?    
    Description: The deceased made a solo skydive (an AFF Level 8 - he had passed his Level 7 earlier in the day) from 5000, openning normally. He landed in Lake Okechobee and drowned. He was jumping a a 260, student rig. He was out at 5,000 and according to a witness/rigger at the school, he was long and south of the airport. Mike for unknown reasons turned west and ran with the wind ending up a half to three quarters of a mile over the lake. It is believed that he might of tried to turn into the wind at the last second and hit the water. The water was only 4-6' deep. He was found with loosened shoulder [sic] straps and leg straps, indicating he may have been prepared for a water landing.

    The body was recovered, afloat, less than two hours after landing, approximately 3/4 of a mile from shore. It is not clear if he could have made it to shore, or if he tried to inflate the floatation device which was attached to his rig. Ground winds were reported to be 12-14mph at jump time, and were measured to be 17-22mph (one report says "26mph") during the rescue.
    Lessons:Better choice of exit points, a floation device, and perhaps a more prudent evaluation of the winds might have made a difference in this incident. Lack of experience in high winds may have contributed to him getting farther out over the water than he could return from. Additionally, a low turn before landing could have resulted in loss of conciousness when hitting the water, which might have contributed to drowning in such relatively shallow water.
  17. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    25/10/1998 Laurel, DE LAND 29 500 ?/?    
    Description: He organized a 12 way freefly. The dive exited and went as planned, with a clean breakoff at 5K. Everyone had a clean opening. The deceased intentionally stalled his canopy several times as he had planned to do (to give a good show). At around 1000', on his 3rd stall, he let the brakes up very quickly to end the stall, causing the canopy to dive radically while the re-inflation shock jerked him upward, and into the lines of the diving canopy. His feet became tangled with the line groups and a violent spin began. Around 500' his reserve pilot chute was deployed, but immediately entangled the main. He streamered (spiraled) in and impacted head first into an asphalt road. The reserve was found out, but never had time to fully inflate. The cutaway handle and reserve were both found nearby. A clean cutaway was not possible because of the self induced entanglement. The deceased was not known for radical canopy manuevers, and seldom made turns below 500'. Turbulence was not likely a factor, as it was a mild day with light winds. He was jumping a Jedei 150 at a wingloading of about 1.35 lb/ft^2.
    Lessons:Radical canopy maneuvers carry an extra risk. Once the situation developed, it appears there were no available options to correct the situation, and that all options had been attempted. Even a hook knife would have been of little use at that altitude.
  18. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    27/11/1998 Taupo, New Zealand LAND 100 ?/?    
    Description: The skydiver was a day-release prisoner working for the tandem operations food stall. He jumped on a spare slot on the last load of the day and made a normal uneventful solo freefall. Upon deployment, he turned into the wind and held for about a minute for reasons unknown. The spot over the lake was slightly long; flying into the wind made his position much worse once he eventually turned with the wind.Realizing that he would not make the shore, he prepared for a water landing correctly - chest leg straps loosed, shoes&socks removed and cutaway on contact with the water [Not everyone agrees that this is a good idea.]. In all, it appeared to be a perfect water landing 300m (1000ft) from the shore, except that he could not swim at all and had no floatation device. Observers had the rescue helicopters and boats to his canopy position within 2 minutes but no further signs of the jumper was found. His body was recovered 3 days later.
    Lessons:Failure to carry a floation device when jumping over water and being unable to swim seems to be a pretty unwise decision, regardless of whether a misjudgement of the spot or the canopy's glide was the primary cause of the problem.
  19. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    19/12/1998 Ocala, FL LAND,EXC 39 850 ?/?    
    Description: During a night demo jump onto private property, the deceased snagged his canopy on a tree, and then slammed into the ground.Reports indicate the impact with the ground was violent enough to tear his aorta. He was also, apparently, jumping a small, fairly-loaded canopy.
    Lessons:Demos, particularly night demos, are higher-risk skydives. Choosing wether to jump a small, familiar canopy, or a larger, slower, more foreign canopy can be very tough. I think if you're in a situation where making that decision correctly is crucial, then you are contemplating a jump which is significantly more risky than usual..
  20. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    23/12/1998 Thomaston, GA LAND,LOWT 54 186 ?/?    
    Description: On 17/12/98, this jumper ended up low and heading down wind while attempting to land in strong winds. He tried to turn back into the wind, but was too low for complete parachute recovery before landing. Life Flight medivaced him to a hospital in Macon which classified his condition as critical. The family disconnected life support, as per his wishes, Tuesday evening, December 22. He passed away Wednesday, December 23 at approximately 1:00 A.M. He weighed 175lbs and was jumping a Falcon 235.
    Lessons:As someone on rec.skydiving mentioned, prepare yourself mentally for this situation. If you find yourself low and heading downwind, you have three options. The natural reaction is to make a hard turn to get facing the correct way; this can easily break or kill you. Alternatively, you can do the best flare you can, followed by a good PLF; running it out will probably not be possible if the winds are anything other than light. While this might get you hurt, it is preferable to landing in a hard turn. The third alternative, which is only a possibility if you have practiced it up high, is to do a slow braked-turn to get crosswind or so. If you don't know how to do this, please ask an instructor for advice on how to learn this very important canopy control technique. Done right, it can save your butt, done poorly, it's equivalent to a hard turn, with similar consequences. Be aware that in light winds (say, 5 MPH or less), there is little risk to just landing downwind. This jumper was flying a canopy loaded well under 1.0 lb/ft^2. Even with a lightly loaded canopy, it is very possible to hammer yourself into the ground. This problem is not just a feature of highly loaded canopies. Any canopy flown improperly can maim or kill. As someone on rec.skydiving mentioned, prepare yourself mentally for this situation. If you find yourself low and heading downwind, you have three options. The natural reaction is to make a hard turn to get facing the correct way; this can easily break or kill you. Alternatively, you can do the best flare you can, followed by a good PLF; running it out will probably not be possible if the winds are anything other than light. While this might get you hurt, it is preferable to landing in a hard turn. The third alternative, which is only a possibility if you have practiced it up high, is to do a slow braked-turn to get crosswind or so. If you don't know how to do this, please ask an instructor for advice on how to learn this very important canopy control technique. Done right, it can save your butt, done poorly, it's equivalent to a hard turn, with similar consequences. Be aware that in light winds (say, 5 MPH or less), there is little risk to just landing downwind.

    This jumper was flying a canopy loaded well under 1.0 lb/ft^2. Even with a lightly loaded canopy, it is very possible to hammer yourself into the ground. This problem is not just a feature of highly loaded canopies. Any canopy flown improperly can maim or kill.
  21. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    31/01/1999 Skydive Arizona, AZ LOWT,LAND 26 110 ?/?    
    Description: In the early afternoon on a clear-weather, light-winds day, this jumper was heading downwind just past the far edge of the main landing area at a low (50ft?) altitude, passed the wind-tetrahedron and realized he was heading downwind. Rather than doing a slow braked turn, or even accepting a downwind landing, he initiated a hard toggle turn back into the wind. He flared an instant before impact, but hit the ground at an angle of perhaps 60 degrees, impacting feet/torso/canopy nearly simultaneously. After bouncing back into the air and cartwheeling, he did not get up. He was stabilized by paramedics and flown out by helicopter, but died about 6 hours later at a nearby hospital. He was jumping a lime green Sabre 150, loaded at perhaps 1.3 - 1.4 lb/ft^2. He was not trying to perform a high-performance swooping landing.
    Lessons:I watched the last few seconds of this accident from the other side of the landing area, by the manifest. This jumper made an (incorrect) split-second decision which cost him his life. This type of accident happens often enough to be very frustrating. An inexperienced jumper with a heavily loaded canopy makes a low turn to {avoid an obstacle, avoid a canopy, get into the wind, pick up speed for landing}, and impacts while still in the turn. For every fatality, I wonder how many serious injuries their are? Two Thoughts: 1) You Must Not Land In A Turn. 2) You have your whole life to skydive, unless you get a canopy that's beyond your ability and get yourself critically broken or killed while learning.
  22. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    10/02/1999 Sydney, Australia LAND,EXC 47 9000 Y?/?    
    Description: After an uneventful jump and opening, the deceased was to land onto a pontoon in the middle of a harbor (a demo jump). With fairly light winds that day he made an overshooting approach and overcorrected too dramatically (perhaps stalling the canopy). He hit his head on the pontoon and died of those injuries. He was alleged to have decided earlier not to wear a helmet for the jump. Two other jumpers ditched themselves into the harbor. The deceased was a senior instructor.
    Lessons:Demos are exceptional skydives which require the highest amount of preparation and performance.
  23. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    25/04/1999 Gilbertsville, PA LOWT, LAND 41 874 Y?/Y?    
    Description: The deceased had broken his pelvis two years prior from a botched hook turn. The general consensus is that says he hasn't done a hook turn since that accident, and all witnesses agreed that he was coming straight in when this happened. About 40 feet from the ground, something went wrong and the nose of his canopy folded, made a quick turn and collapsed. It may have been turbulence, though he might have been trying to avoid another canopy and lost control, or he could have lost his grip on one front riser as he was using them to setup up his landing. Witnesses indicated he twitched his head, as if to look at something, and the canopy entered a dive immediately thereafter. He was jumping a Jedei 105, loaded at about 1.4 lb/ft^2. He had been jumping for about 7 years, and had toned down his flying style since his previous accident.
    Lessons:Insufficient information to make any assessment; could be turbulence, could be pilot error, could be both.
  24. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    06/06/1999 Greensburg, IN LOWT,LAND 43 ?/?    
    Description: After a normal left-hand turn from downwind to final, the deceased's canopy continued turning until impact. The Falcon 190 was in good condition, and the toggles were in his hands until impact. One report hypothesizes a dust devil as the probable cause of the canopy's strange behaviour.
    Lessons:-
  25. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    13/08/1999 Quincy, IL LOWT?,LAND? 39 190 ?/?    
    Description: The deceased was spotted in a field a ways away from the main landing areas by jumpers on another load. He was found to have landed under what was probably a properly opened main canopy, about 20 feet away from the point of impact. A low turn is a likely suspect, but without any witnesses or corroborating evidence, it may be very hard to find out what happened. He was jumping a Viper at a moderate-to-high wingloading, and did not jump that often. The 190 jumps he had made were over 5 years. The winds that day were very high, and the DZ was unfamiliar to him.

    From rec.skydiving: "According to the short form report of the pathologist's results, he died of severe thoracic trauma and lasted less than five minutes after impact. As I understand it, the extent of his injuries was such that immediate medical attention may not have saved him. The broken femur didn't help, but it wasn't the cause of death. From what I can gather, he impacted knees first at a speed consistent with an unflared landing in a turn. His chest strap and helmet were removed, and he wasn't wearing gloves. Civilians who arrived on the scene first said that he seemed to have removed his rig, taken off his helmet and gloves, laid down and died, but a closer look showed that he likely pulled off his helmet and clawed out of his harness as he succumbed to his injuries. "
    Lessons:Landing out of a main landing area is always a more hazardous landing, straight in approaches are frequently prudent, as there may be unseen obstacles and you will be without your usual altitude references. As with many incidents, there were multiple causal factors including an infrequent jumping history, an off-DZ landing, a fast canopy, high winds, and an unfamiliar DZ.
  26. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    18/09/1999 Skydive Lake Tahoe, CA LOWT,LAND 28 200 ?/?    
    Description: This jumper was heading crosswind in light winds, and made a ~90 degree toggle turn to get back into the wind at approximately 75ft or so. (Reports from witnesses vary, indicating how hard it is to get good information. Some have claimed a 180+ turn from a downwind direction at 75 ft, but in any case, the result was the same.) He impacted while still in a turn. An ER nurse and others were on the scene in seconds, an ambulance arrived within 10 minutes, and a CareFlight helicopter about 20 minutes later. He died later that evening at the hospital. He suffered head trauma and a severely broken femur; he never regained consciousness. He was wearing a helmet of unknown type. This was probably not an intentional low turn to build up speed for landing. The turn was low enough that altitude effects (the DZ is at ~5000ft MSL) was probably irrelevant; the same turn made at sea level would have had similar repercussions. [I was a witness to this accident; that's two in one year for me.]
    Lessons:It is almost always preferable to land downwind, rather than land in a turn. Keep your awareness about you under canopy; you have to adjust your flight plan (okay, I'll go over that hangar, do downwind to about the runway, then a quick crosswind, and land by the windsock) as things change (whoa, not making much progress into the wind, better turn around earlier).
  27. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    28/09/1999 Kapowsin, WA LAND 27 ?/?    
    Description: This jumper made a low turn, possibly to avoid another jumper, and landed very very hard, taking the whole impact on one side of his body. He was helicoptered to a local hospital, and stayed there in the ICU for 6 weeks. He had pelvic fractures, a shattered leg, and many other injuries. He eventually (6 weeks later) succumbed to a systemic antibiotic-resistant infection.
    Lessons:Don't land in a turn.... Sigh.
  28. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    16/10/1999 Ören, Turkey LAND 60 ?/?    
    Description: Hit is head on a rock on landing and suffered a fatal brain haemorrhage.
    Lessons:
  29. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    14/11/1999 Ponoma, CA LAND,EXC 59 2500 ?/?    
    Description: At a demo into a race track, the deceased collided with a guard wall while landing.
    Lessons:Information about the canopy type and wingloading would be interesting..
  30. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    29/04/2000 Lexington, MO MAL,LAND,BIZ 29 119 N/?    
    Description: After a main malfunction, this jumper had a normal cutaway and reserve pull. On landing, he fell forward and his chest mount altimeter hit him in the center of his throat; the landing was also hard enough to chip the outside of his femer by his knee. The neck injury cut off his air supply and he suffocated. He was jumping an older 5-cell Swift Plus reserve which is rated for 210lbs. His exit weight was 209. It seems likely that he made a low turn before landing in order to have generated enough speed to cause these injuries. He landed somewhat near his main and freebag, so he may have been following those down.
    Lessons:This is also a relatively bizarre accident, so other than better PLF or landing technique, I'm not sure what else to suggest. The Swift Plus is an older reserve with flight characteristics which are probably much different than modern main canopies.
  31. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    29/04/2000 Marana, AZ LAND 28 178 ?/?    
    Description: The deceased made a low turn (from perhaps 75-100') using a toggle to get back into the wind. He completed only 90 degrees of that turn, which was reported by observers to be of only moderate speed. One observer estimates he was at about a 45 degree angle to the ground at impact, and that the landing was more harder than the rate of turn might have implied. He weighed about 180lbs and may have been jumping a Sabre 170. Winds were 20+ mph. He had made 4-5 jumps the day of the accident.
    Lessons:Jumping in higher winds does increase the cognitive load while under canopy. The jumper was jumping a small (but not ridiculously small) canopy for his experience level. A turn made in brakes might have changed the outcome of this landing.
  32. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    18/11/2000 Sturgis, MI LAND 42 ?/?    
    Description: This jumper made a hop and pop from 2000 feet in 17-19mph winds. He was headed towards power lines, and though he was able to avoid them, he struck the rooftop of a nearby building. The head injury sustained from the collision was fatal. This is not a "regular" DZ. This jumper apparently had struck power lines a year earlier at a nearby DZ.
    Lessons:Most information here is from a newspaper report, and so is perhaps technically inaccurate. Without knowing the canopy size or loading,
  33. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    27/12/2000 Lake Wales, FL LAND 42 98 Y/N    
    Description: This jumper was making his first skydive with a new (faster,smaller?) canopy. He made a hard right turn low to the ground, and impacted shortly thereafter. Wingloading and prior canopy flying experience are not known. The canopy was elliptical, but the type has not been reported.
    Lessons:
    USPA Description: After an uneventful freefall and initial canopy descent, this jumper initiated a fast turn to the left, followed immediately by a right turn at approximately 50 feet. He hit th eground just before the canopy.
    USPA Conclusions:This was the first jump on a new system for this skydiver. It was not reported what canopy he had been jumping on previous skydives. In any case, each time a jumper uses a new canopy, it is essential that he take extra care while learning its flight characteristics. The second hard turn at 50 feet put this jumper in a dive that could not be stopped before he reached the ground.

    He was jumping this canopu with an estimated wing loading of 1.3:1. This is a high wing loading by any standard for someone with so few jumps stretched over such a long time.

    Canopy training prior to jumping this new gear may have prevented him from making the error. Turns must be completed high enough to allow the canopy to return to straight and level flight before the flare.
  34. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    30/12/2000 Empuriabrava, Spain LAND 30 150 ?/?    
    Description: This jumper was visiting this DZ over the holidays. On a rather high-winds day (they were only allowing people with 200+ jumps to go up, and stopped sending loads shortly after this load took off), this jumper opened, along with the rest of the load, far off the DZ. Unlike the rest of the load, he opted to fly across town and try to make it back to the DZ. Best guess is that he was trying for a small (25x30m) patch of grass, bordered on 3 sides by buildings and on 1 side by a canal, when he realized he couldn't make the DZ. He did miss the buildings, but landed extremely hard. There were no witnesses, but most people believe he made a low turn before landing, trying to hit the small landing area, though the canopy may have collapsed from turbulence. Police reported that he had died before the ambulance arrived.
    Lessons:When trying to decide if one should try for a particular landing area, it's important to consider the "outs" that you have along the way. If failure to cross a lake, town, or forest will result in having to make a very dangerous landing, it is probably wiser to go for the safer landing area, farther from your desired target, rather than to risk injury, or in this case, death.
  35. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    11/01/2001 Deland, FL LAND 41 9 /    
    Description: The jumper was making his ninth jump - his second since graduating from AFF - and had an uneventful solo freefall. He had a bad landing and broke his ankle where he drug his foot along the ground. A few days later the dropzone was informed by a member of his family that he had died suddenly from a heart attack while undergoing physical therapy at a nearby hospital. It is likely that the heart attack was caused by a blood clot that had broken loose from the injured ankle and traveled to his heart, blocking an artery.
    Lessons:
  36. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    11/03/2001 Pato Branco, Brazil LAND,EXC 30 1200 ?/?    
    Description: This jumper was flying a Stilleto loaded at 1.8 during a demo jump into a football field surrounded by pine trees. While heading upwind, he was going to hit the trees, and made a low toggle turn to avoid them. He hit the ground while turning and was killed instantly.
    Lessons:This is a very aggressive canopy to use for demonstration jumps.
  37. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    13/04/2001 DeLand, FL LAND 30 4700 Y/?    
    Description: After videoing a tandem, this jumper apparently made a straight in approach under his Velocity 85 (loaded at around 2.0). He apparently had a steep approach angle, probably from a front-riser dive, and did not have his hands in the toggles at impact.
    Lessons:Flying higher-performance canopies carries an additional risk.
    USPA Description: This jumper reportedly weighed 180 pounds and was jumping a 84 square-foot cross-braced elliptical canopy generally reserved for high-performance canopy flyers. After an uneventful freefall and initial canopy descent, he initiated a 45-degree turn onto final approach to landing and hit the ground before flaring. His legs hit first, followed by his head and neck, with fatal results.
    USPA Conclusions:The high wing loading chosen by some high-performance canopy pilots leaves no room for errors close to the ground. Observers thought that he may have been attempting a landing technique using rear risers and moissed when he reached for them. His hands were observed above his head at the point of impact. It is not known if the steering toggles were in his hands at the time. At these speeds, it is doubtful that there was adequate time to even attempt a PLF or make a second attempt at grabbing the rear risers to plane the canopy out for landing.
    Jumpers must make sure the canopy has returned to straight and level flight in time for the landing flare and keep the toggles in hand to maintain control of the canopy all the way to the finished landing.
  38. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    25/05/2001 Heidenau (Dresden), Germany LAND 270 /    
    DropZone.com Description:
    Lessons:
    Fallschirmsportverband Description: - Demo jump of the German army into a sportstadium / 4th jump of the day.
    - Main canopy 150 sqft, jumper had 100 jumps on this type of canopy.
    - whilst doing his into wind aproach he probably got too low, did not reach the stadium. Started aproach of the alternative landing area (Basketball field).
    - Because of trees and the small size of the basketball field, he made a hard turn to final aproach which resulted in a high landing speed and then hit a pole.
    - Died of head injuries, even though he was wearing a helmet.
    Fallschirmsportverband Conclusions:
  39. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    17/06/2001 Buckeye, AZ LAND 50 4200 ?/N?    
    Description: This jumper was in a downplane with another jumper. They broke at a low but relatively safe altitude, approximately 300ft.. After the CRW breakoff, he initiated a straight in front-riser approach, and probably lost a toggle when releasing the front risers and initiating his flare, resulting in a sharp right turn just before impact. He died on the scene with massive head trauma. He was wearing gloves, which may have made it harder to both keep hold of the toggle, and to recognize when it was dropped.
    Lessons:Anytime you grab your front risers before landing, you are taking the risk of dropping a toggle. Since there are typically only a few (less than 5?) seconds between release and landing, instant recognition of a dropped toggle is essential. If you're very quick, grabbing the rear risers and flaring this way may help. However, flaring with only one toggle is probably worse than no flare at all. Prepare to PLF and good luck.
    USPA Description: This jumper was engaged with another canopy formation entusiast in a canopy downplane. They broke the formation at approximately 200 feet above the ground. At the point, he pulled both front risers down evenly, presumably to build speed for his landing. At 20 feet above the ground, he released the front risers and attempted to flare the canopy; but instead, he made a hard right turn into the ground, impacting at the same time as the canopy.
    USPA Conclusions:It was not reported whether or not this jumper had the steering toggles in his hands during the front-riser maneuvers. Front-riser dives are a common way for canopy pilots to build speed for landing and increase the dynamics of the flare. However, the jumper must hold the steering toggles at the same time to allow for an immediate flare and control of the landing. Apparently, the jumper dropped the left steering toggle as he tried to flare the canopy. The result was a hard right turn.
    It was reported that the steering toggles were locally manufactured and "cheesy." It is not known whether this affected the outcome of the incident.
  40. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    01/07/2001 Italy LAND,EXC 56 300 Y?/?    
    Description: Information is sketchy, but it appears this jumper broke his neck on landing during a night jump. He was on a smallish canopy, but it is unclear if he failed to flare, was distracted by the moon, or turned too low.
    Lessons:Note that a bright moon can cast a shadow of a jumper in your peripheral vision, which can make one want to steer and avoid. Of course, this jumper just keeps getting closer, regardless of canopy input until you collide with "him" on impact. This may or may not be a factor in this incident, but, it's worth knowing nevertheless.
  41. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    04/07/2001 Beeville, TX LAND 52 40 Y/Y    
    Description: This jumper was approaching the landing area too high, and was approaching power lines on the other side of the landing area. He initiated a hard turn, too low to recover, and was critically injured on landing. He passed away at the hospital, after being evac'd by helicopter. He had made about 10 jumps on his Triathlon 190, having only jumped student canopies until that point. This canopy was loaded at perhaps 1.1 lb/ft^2, which is a little high for someone with so few jumps.
    Lessons:Power lines are very dangerous, but so are turns low to the ground. Either brake-turns or flying in deep brakes are frequently preferable to a hard toggle turn in this type of situation. If you don't know what a brake-turn is, ask your instructor. It's a good idea to have thought through a flight plan for a landing area, with planned "outs" and alternatives should things go poorly. The last second is not a good time to be without a plan. Faster canopies also leave less time to resolve any problems, and cause great consequences in case of error.
    USPA Description: After an uneventful freefall and initial canopy descent, this jumper approached power lines and made a hard 180-degree turn at power-line level in an effort to avoid the lines. The jumper and caopy hit the ground at the same time, and he died a few hours later from internal inuries sustained during landing.
    USPA Conclusions:This was an inexperienced jumper who was making his 19th jump on a canopy that was wing-loaded at approximately 1.1:1. It was not clear in the report whether the landing was at the drop zone or off field or how many jumps this jumper made at this location.
    Improper obstacle avoidance procedures continue to cause fatalities each year. Jumpers need to be familiar with the areas where they are jumping and have a plan in the even of an off-field landing in any direction. The USPA Integrated Student Program introduces students to the concept of braked turns early in their skydiving experience. The goal is to train them to make a flat turn in a situation such as this in an effort to prevent just this type of fatality.
    All jumpers should have a thorough understanding of how to control their parachutes using all of the various control inputs and turning techniques.
  42. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    19/07/2001 Toogolawah, Australia LAND 50 2820 ?/Y    
    Description: Witnesses stated that on this jump this jumper approached the landing area and commenced a 90 degree, front riser turn from about 140 feet. He released the front riser input at 50 feet or slightly below and immediately began to flare "out of the corner" using his brakes. (Note: "out of the corner" refers to the canopy still being in a steep dive, close to the ground, and in a situation where it is absolutely necessary that the jumper use the brakes and pull down on the tail of the canopy to increase the lift produced in order to brake the dive and level out.) As soon as tension was applied to the brakes the left brake line snapped below the brake lock. The deceased tried to get on the back risers to level the diving canopy but did not have time before impacting the ground. His obvious injuries were severe involving leg and hip fractures. He was taken by ambulance to hospital where he died nearly 3 hours later from internal injuries. Inspection of the parachute equipment showed that the parachute system was serviceable and reasonably maintained except for the condition of the lower brake lines which were described as exhibiting "excessive wear and fraying". The canopy was a Jedei 120, manufactured in August 1997, and loaded at about 1.8lb/ft^2. The main parachute had been relined in August 2000 and had done approximately 340 jumps since the reline. The canopy was relined with Vectran line and included the brake lines. The brake line broke between the brake locking loop and toggle where it would not be loaded during opening shock. The line broke over a length of 5cm near the centre and not near any stitching or finger traps. Inspection of the brake lock area of the riser found that there were some Vectran threads on the hook velcro used to retain the toggle. There was also a slight roughness found on the riser brake guide rings. One report indicates that perhaps a 100 of the 340 jumps since the re-line were performed at a beach landing area, which could have increased the wear on the brake lines due to salt and sand.
    Lessons:Yet another thing which can go wrong when making high-speed approaches. Check yer gear!
  43. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    25/07/2001 Portsmouth, England LAND,EXC 27 500 ?/?    
    Description: During a demo jump into an arena, this jumper made a low turn (100') before landing and did not complete the turn before impact. It is not known if this was an intentional high-performance landing turn, or just a turn made too low. While the gear was new to the demo team, the deceased had made several jumps on the new equipment in the prior week.
    Lessons:Demo jumps should always be considered higher-risk skydives.
    BPA Description: This was a planned six man display by the RN Raiders display team at HMS Excellent, Portsmouth. The Sea King helicopter took off at approximately 15.00 hrs.
    The reported weather conditions for the display were good; surface winds were approximately 5 knots at 165-170 degrees and very little cloud cover.
    The helicopter climbed to approximately 2,000ft AGL, where WDIs were released. The helicopter then climbed to approximately 7,000ft AGL and ‘ran in’ over the top of the arena, (which measured approximately 50 metres by 100 metres, with good overshoot areas on three sides). Once the helicopter was near the exit point the parachutists commenced their exit procedures. All six parachutists exited close together, after which they built a five person freefall formation, the sixth team member videoed the formation. At approximately 4,000ff AGL the parachutists separated and deployed their parachutes at approximately 3,000ft AGL. All parachutes deployed normally.
    The parachutists then flew their parachutes in a ‘stack’ type of formation, in order to stagger their landings.
    The first team member to land was the team leader who was trailing a large flag, he landed successfully near the centre of the arena. He was followed shortly after by another team member who also landed successfully in the arena. At about this time the deceased was seen to be flying his canopy ‘down wind’ near the edge of the arena. He was then observed to initiate a radical left turn, impacting with the ground after about a 180-degree turn. The remaining three parachutists landed in the arena without further incident.
    BPA Conclusions:The deceased made an uneventful free fall descent, deployed his main parachute at a suitable altitude, remained ‘up wind’ of the intended landing area until he commenced the final ‘down wind leg’ of the descent. At a low altitude, probably below 150ft AGL he initiated a radical 180 degree left turn in order to face into wind for landing.
    He then struck the ground at high speed before he had fully completed the turn.
    The Board do not know why the deceased made such a radical turn (which was probably a front riser turn) so close to the ground, but it was initiated at an altitude that was too low.
    It was noted that this descent was only the fourth the deceased had made using this main parachute, Though his own personal parachute was of a higher performance. He was also a very current parachutist, having completed 100 descents within the previous three months.
  44. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    15/08/2001 Gisingen (Saarland), Germany LAND 250 N/?    
    DropZone.com Description:
    Lessons:
    Fallschirmsportverband Description: - At a demo jump delivering a ball to a sports field, on final approach flying in brakes (about 30 - 40m), toggles were released to drop the ball.
    - impacted the ground hard in full flight sustaining fatal headinjuries
    - jumped without protective headgear and AAD
    Fallschirmsportverband Conclusions:
  45. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    18/08/2001 Syktyvkar, Russia LAND 18 2 ?/?    
    Description: This jumper was making a military-style static line jump with a round d-5 or d-6 canopy. The wind changed during her descent -- she landed on powerlines and was electrocuted.
    Lessons:Steerable canopies are strongly encouraged for all skydivers; this incident illustrates an obvious reason why.
  46. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    18/08/2001 Hollister, CA LAND 30 70 Y/Y    
    Description: After opening far from the DZ, this jumper attempted to make it back to the primary landing area, but was unable to do so. He had to find a place to land in a bad area with steep hills and obstacles. He turned low over a hilltop, avoided and house and downwind/downhill landing, but hit a steep hillside and full speed. He was found quite soon, without a pulse and was given CPR. He passed away shortly after do to massive head trauma. The person he jumped with turned around at 1200' and made it to a open area to land.
    Lessons:Once under canopy, it's essential to select a good landing area if the primary target isn't reachable. It is far better to land out and safe, than to try to make the DZ and be forced into a tough landing situation.
    USPA Description: The 2-way freefall and the canopy opening were uneventful. The spot was long and the jumper passed over several large alternate landing areas. He executed a low turn, trying to land facing into the wind onto a small area at the top of a hill. He hit the side of the hill while still in the turn. He was airlifted from the scene but died on the way to hospital.
    USPA Conclusions:The other participant on this 2-way skydive had flown his canopy beside the jumper in the report, trying to motion toward a large field as a landing area. However, the jumper who died continued flying his canopy toward the drop zone, passing several larger landing areas until he ran out fo options.
    The jumper was reported to weigh approximately 140 pounds without equipment. The manufacturer of the canopy recommends that a jumper his size be considered an "expert" to jump the size and design of canopy he was using. While the canopy may have been easy for him to land under controlled conditions, he may have experience difficulty with a challenging landing such as this one, and the results proved fatal.
    New skydivers need to be aware of the consequences of their decisions regarding equipment. The advice of an experienced skydiver, such as the DZ's USPA Safety & Training Advisor, should be sought before purchasing new gear. The choices available for equipment can be confusing to those just getting into the sport. Experienced skydivers should also keep an eye on recent student graduates to help them make the correct decisions.
  47. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    31/08/2001 Tampa, FL LAND 40 1000 Y/Y    
    Description: This veteran military jumper's canopy appears to have stalled and collapsed when practicing a demo in Raymond James stadium. The jumper landed heavily and suffered severe injuries and died later in hospital.
    Lessons:
    USPA Description: This jumper was the second of four jumpers making a practice jump into an empty stadium prior to a planned demo jump. The initial canopy opening and descent were uneventful. However, witnesses said he executed a hard turn at approximately 60 feet above the field. He reportedly struck the ground at the same time as the canopy and died during the ambulance ride to the hospital.
    USPA Conclusions:This jumper was a member of a military demonstration team that was making the demonstration jump into the stadium. It was not clear in the report whether the jumper was attempting to face into the wind or avoid an obstacle, but the decision to make a hard turn at the last second proved fatal.
    This jumper did not meet the requirements of the PRO Rating and had made a relatively low number of jumps for the amount of time he had been in the sport. Stadium jumps are perhaps the most difficult demo jumps to perform, due to the obstacles and winds that are encountered during the approach to landing. The FAA is working to educate its local Flights Standards District Offices about the requirments for Level 2 demonstration jumps, which include stadiums.
  48. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    23/09/2001 St. Thomas, Virgin Islands LAND?, LOWT?, EXC 63 4000 ?/?    
    Description: Information is sparse, but it appears this jumper made a low turn without sufficient altitude to recover while making a demonstration jump into a festival.
    Lessons:Demo skydives present additional hazards. It is unclear wether this low turn was done in order to make a high-performance landing, or if it was "accidental", such as when avoiding an obstacle.
    USPA Description: This jumper was making a demonstration jump onto a crowded beach during a festival. He traveled downwind over the crowd at a reported 40 mph and was observed to make a turn at 50 feet in an apparent attempt to land into the wind. He reportedly struck the ground at the same time as the canopy and died in the hospital a few hours later as a result of the hard landing.
    USPA Conclusions:There was very little reported about the specifics of this fatality. One eyewitness said he heard the jumper yelling for people to get out of the way prior to his final turn.
    This jumper, although very experienced, did not hold a USPA PRO Rating. It appears as though there was a very small landing area established on the beach for this jump. There may have been inadequate ground crew to keep a clear area for the landing. And winds may have been too strong for a jump of this nature (the witnes reported the jumper was traveling 40 mph downwind).
    With so little information reported, there can only be speculation, but it seems that there was a lack of landing options for this jump into a crowded area. The jumper may have been trying to land in the only area he had available, which may have been too far downwind for him to reach a safe altitude.
    Demonstration jumps should be carefully planned and allow for different landing options to meet the circumstances that may unexpectedly arise. A fully trained ground crew, which has enough members to handle the crowd control, must be in place for demonstration jumps. Demonstration jumpers must be willing to cancel a jump if any safety measure is compromised.
  49. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    21/10/2001 Yarra Valley, Australia LAND 31 500 ?/?    
    Description: After a solo fun jump, this jumper made a low turn close to the ground, and passed away shortly after impact. He was jumping a Sabre 135, loaded at about 1.17 lb/ft^2. He may have been trying to get back onto the wind line (though that was unnecessary), or may have been distracted by parked aircraft (though there was plenty of space.) Winds were light at 5-8 knots.
    Lessons:Small canopies require the pilot to operate with fewer mistakes, because the cost of error is much higher. This is a LAND rather than a LOWT, because he was apparently not attempting to make a high-performance landing of any sort at the time.
  50. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    07/11/2001 Sebastian, FL LAND 23 201 Y/N   #52006
    Description: After a 2-way, this jumper likely opened a little lower than intended, and was observed to be under a full open parachute. His reserve was not used, as it was not needed. As a consequence of opening a little lower, he was long on his spot. He selected a an out, a good, grassy area, near homes, and flew downwind toward this out. According to a witness flying near him, he turned low in order to face into the wind, misjudged, and, while completing the turn, hit the roof of a building. He was jumping a Fandango 135 loaded at about 1.3 lb/ft^2.
    Lessons:It's not clear why this jumper chose this particular landing area, or if other, better options, were available. He may have been a bit high, and tried to bleed off altitude, or it may have been a turn to avoid landing downwind. Landing in cluttered areas can be stressful
    USPA Description: The freefall portion of this skydive was uneventful, as as the initial canopy descent. This jumper apparently attempted to land in one yard of a residentail neighbourhood three-quarters of a mile to a mile from the drop zone. He struck the roof of the house while still in a turn, creating a large hole in the roof, breaking his leg and ribs and causing head injuries before coming to a stop in the yard below. He died several hours later in the hospital from the head injuries.
    USPA Conclusions:The jumper deployed at an altitude reported to be slightly lower than 2,000 feet and was the only one on the load who did not land on the drop zone. He apparently misjudged the altitude he would lose in a turn to final approach.
    The jumper may not have realized his position over the ground and apparently didn't plan to open high enough to return to a clear area. Or, once open, he may not have ahd the skill to fly his canopy over the congested area to a clear field. According to the ISP, one of the most basic responsibilites of skydiving is to land in a clear area.
    He was wearing a helmet, which was reported to be badly damaged during the accident. It was not enough to protect him against the head injury he sustained.
    He was jumping an elliptical canopy wing-loaded at 1.4:1. The jumper may not have had the experience and skill necessary for the size and design of canopy that he had chosen to purchase. When faced with a challenging landing, his equipment choice proved to be a fatal mistake.
  51. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    06/12/2001 Teuge, Netherlands LAND 57 1300 ?/?    
    Description: The deceased had some sort of landing injury on this date, but passed away in hospital on 12/25/01. No further information is available.
    Lessons:
    KNVvL Description: An experienced B-license holder with 1300 jumps and 15 years of jumping experience made a flag jump for a year's end photo. The jump is photographed by an experienced cameraman. For unknown reasons the two drift too far from the DZ, necessitating landing out. The obvious landing terrain is a large, obstacle free field, where the cameraman lands without problems. The flag jumper at first seems to be making a normal landing, but at a very low altitude he suddenly initiates another turn. After a 180° turn he lands hard and downwind. This causes a life threatening neck injury, from which he dies two and a half weeks later.
    KNVvL Conclusions:Never turn low. Furthermore, for experienced jumpers it is no less recommendable to use gear and make jumps corresponding to the frequency of their jumping. The jumper in case may have had a lot of experience, but did not jumps very often any more.
  52. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    22/12/2001 Celina, OH LAND 29 467 N/N   #64642
    Description: Details are unclear, but it appears that after a CRW skydive, a pair of jumpers were unable to avoid landing in a large lake located near the DZ. Boaters retrieved one of the jumpers almost immediately, but were unable to reach the other before he went under. He had cutaway his parachute, and was not entangled in it.
    Lessons:A better spot or flotation equipment might have made a difference here.
    USPA Description: Two jumpers were practicing canopy formation, this jumper and another reported to have 80 jumps. The pair exited at 9,500 feet in strong winds but well upwind of the drop zone. They headed downwind toward the planned landing area while they practiced canopy docking. At some point, they turned into wind, but the winds were strong enough to push them backward past the drop zone and over a lake.
    Accoriding to the report, the more experienced jumper could have made dry land but followed the newer jumper into the lake, where the water temperature was 38 to 40 degrees. A boat picked up the less experienced jumper first, and the other drowned before help arrived.
    USPA Conclusions:This jump took place in winter, with cold temperatures and strong winds. The previous canopy formation experience of the jumper who died was not reported; however, it was the first canopy formation jump for the other jumper.
    The less-experienced jumper survived, in part because he was wearing a wet-suit. He had not planned a water landing but wore the suit as protection against the frigid air temperatures at altitude. Besides providing some flotation, the suit protected him against the cold water, and rescuers reached him almost immediately.
    The other jumper, who had returned to the sport after a long layoff, wore more conventional clothing with no additional flotation gear. The water was cold enough that hypothermia would have made it difficult for him to survive more than a few minutes.
    When making canopy formation jumps, planning must include knowing the winds aloft at the various altitudes, adjusting the spot accordingly and observing the position over the ground throughout the decent. Any jumper under canopy must continuously asses progress toward the available safe landing areas.
    It is not uncommon for canopy formation jumpers to get distracted and fly to far away from the drop zone and return. Jumpers new to the discipline might be especially prone to making this mistake.
    All jumpers should wear flotation gear whenever there is the possibility of landing in water.
  53. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    25/12/2001 Empuriabrava, Spain LAND 50 500 ?/?    
    Description: This jumper was taking part in a 3-way skydive, their first one at this dropzone. After a normal skydive and opening at 3500', they were observed to be far off the dropzone. Low to the ground, this jumper made a hard aggressive turn to get back into the wind, and impacted almost horizontally. Resuscitation was started immediately, but the heart could not be kept beating; he did have a known heart condition so this may have confounded these attempts. Another jumper (this jumper's wife) broke her femur on landing; it is unclear whether she landed before or after the deceased, and therefore which accident might have influenced the other. The deceased was jumping a heavily loaded Spectre 170 ft^2 canopy.
    Lessons:It is important to focus on your own landing, regardless of what is going on around you. Additionally, it is better to land far out making a conservative turn to face into the wind rather than to get close and risk not completing the turn. Walking is easy -- bones don't heal so well.
  54. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    28/12/2001 Bridge Pa, New Zealand LAND? 46 ?/?    
    Description: No further information available at this time. Anyone?
    Lessons:
  55. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    08/02/2002 Coolidge, AZ LAND 28 135 Y/Y    
    Description: This jumper made a low turn, perhaps to avoid a barbed wire fence, and impacted while still turning. She died later at hospital.
    Lessons:It is usually better to hit an obstacle than to land while in a turning configuration.
    USPA Description: After an uneventful freefall and initial canopy descent, this jumper was landing in an open desert area just off the drop zone. She was faced into an estimated eight to ten mph wind until approximately 50 feet. Suddenly, she turned the canopy using a reported rapid toggle motion. The canopy dove into the turn, and she struck the ground at the same time as the canopy. She was flown to a hospital trauma center, where she died a few hours later from head and internal injuries.
    USPA Conclusions:Investigators suggest that she was trying to avoid a fence that was lcoated in the area where she was landing. This jumper had relatively few jumps (120) for the size of canopy she was using (150). Some might consider her wing loading (between .9 and one pound per square foot) conservative, but smaller canopies respond more quickly to control input than larger ones at the same wing loading. The manufacturer recommends this canopy fo rintermediate jumpers at her weight. Even jumpers using canopies within the manufacturer's reccomendations should pursue canopy training that explores the complete control range and flight characteristics of that canopy. Her landing as a result of miscontrolling this canopy was hard enough to cause fatal head injuries, despite her wearing a hard helmet.
    Jumpers need to check carefully for obstacles when choosing a landing site, especially when landing off the drop zone. They need to decided a plan of action early to avoid obstacles but also low turns - equally and perhaps more dangerous.
    At such a low altitude, a braked turn just far enough to avoid the obstacle would have been a better choice than a hard toggle turn. USPA's Integrated Student Program teaches braked approaches and turns in an effort to familiarize students with this important method of canopy flight and to train jumpers to avoid errors such as this one.
  56. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    03/03/2002 Castellon, Spain LOWT, LAND 176 ?/?    
    DropZone.com Description:
    Lessons:
    Fallschirmsportverband Description: - Jump from a Ce 208 - at about 1000m main was deployed; because of the difficult wind situation he did not land on the dropzone. He landed at the beach. - On final aproach he made a turn to avoid a wire obstacle and with the relatively small canopy uncontrolably hit a wall - heavy head and chest injuries, died in hospital after emergency surgery.
    Fallschirmsportverband Conclusions:
  57. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    23/03/2002 Louisa, VA LAND 33 521 N/N    
    Description: At about 50', this jumper executed a small turn into the wind, whish was blowing at 10mph, with gusts to 16mph. At this point, one side of his canopy collapsed -- the canopy then went into line twists and started to spin. The canopy was almost completely collapsed when he impacted the paved taxiway shortly thereafter. He was jumping a Xoas21 68 ft^2, loaded at approximately 2.1 lb/ft^2.
    Lessons:Flying the newest, fastest, smaller canopies can add significant risk to your skydive. It is likely that wind turbulance (rotors) may have contributed to this incident.
    USPA Description: Following an uneventful freefall and initial canopy descent, this jumper was reportedly on a straight-in final approach under a 68-square foot canopy, cross-braced, elliptical canopy on a windy day. When he reached a point approximately 40 to 60 feet above the landing area, witnesses observed the right side of his parachute abruptly fold underneath itself. They reported that the canopy immediately began to spin and collapse further until the jumper hit the taxiway below him. He died at the scene from inuries received during the hard landing.
    USPA Conclusions:Turbulence and winds may have been factors in the collapse of this canopy. Reports varied as to the conditions that existed during this landing for both wind speed and direction. During four readings recorded around the time of the accident, the airport's automated weather observation station reported winds favouring the length of the runway at speeds as low as nine knots but with gusts as high as 19 knots (22 mph).
    The canopy was a 68-square-foot, cross-braced, elliptical design that was loaded at 2.13:1. The jumper declared his exit weight (with gear) at 145 pounds. The manufacturer lists on its order form only the maximum weight for this canopy, which is 163 pounds.
    Since this fatality, there have been reports of three other cross-braced canopies collapsing in turbulent conditions, two resulting in injuries, but none with a fatal outcome. Those who purchase and jump these specialized designbs generally use them with very high wing loadings. Once a very highly loaded canopy collapses, it leaves very little extra material overhead to slow the jumper's descent. Since they are relatively new designs and not jumped by a large number of jumpers, less is known about how they will behave in the variety of conditions jumpers expose them to.
    The jumper's previous canopy experience was not reported, but he reportedly met the manufacturer's 500-jump minimum for this canopy almost exactly. He had reportedly purchased the canopy approximately four months prior to the accident and made 21 jumps on it. Reportedly, the manufacturer intends to inspect and evaluate the canopy but had not received it from the FAA by press time.
  58. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    24/03/2002 Vernon, Canada LAND 4000 ?/?    
    Description: After a normal skydive, this jumper managed to get get canopy into line-twists at around 500-700'. She did not get out of them, and impacted while the parachute was in a spin. The make and loading of the canopy is not known. (help?)
    Lessons:Know thy canopy, and attempt radical maneauvers up high.
  59. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    31/03/2002 Wantula Skotak, Czech Republic LAND 98 ?/?    
    Description: Lift No.1, plane Mi-8 helicopter, exit altitude 4000 meters, sunny weather, calm wind condition. Jumper: 98 jumps, Fandango 135 main canopy. The jumper was making the final landing approach with a correct angle and speed. At 50 meters, he suddenly initiated a left 360 degrees turn. He finished the turn at altitude that did not allow a safe flare of the canopy. Despite the imminent presence of the ground, the jumper did not appear to take any evasive actions and hit the ground at a 45 degrees angle. The manoeuvre was probably motivated by the jumper's attempt to land close to a photographer that had been taking photographs of his team colleague. As the photographer alleged this had not been co-ordinated. After the impact the jumper showed no signs of life and the paramedics arriving at the scene less than 4 minutes after the accident confirmed his death. An inspection of the deceased jumper's canopy proved that the canopy had been fully functional
    Lessons:A poor judgement call, and lack of experience probably lead to this incident. It would be interesting to know the jumper's weight.
  60. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    30/05/2002 Cedartown, GA LAND 22 275 Y/?   #153648
    DropZone.com Description:
    Lessons:
    USPA Description: After an uneventful and initial canopy descent, this jumper attempted a 180-degreed turn at approximately 150 feet above the ground. He struck the ground hard with his feet and then his head. He was reported to have been wearing a hrad helmet during this jump but died nevertheless.
    USPA Conclusions:The jumper reportedly had recently downsized from a much large parachute just prior to the accident. He was jumping this cnaopy at a wing loading of 1.63:1. The manufacturer of the canpoy he used for the fatal jump recommends that, for the estimated wing loading the jumper chose, the user be an expert skydiver. (Most jumpers would consider 275 jumps less than expert.)
    It was not reported whether he had received any canopy instruction before purchasing and attempting to fly the parachute at this advanced wing loading. Jumpers who are downsizing parachutes should receive detailed instructions and training from an experienced canopy specialist.
    In any event, turns under canopy must be completed in time for the jumper to return to straight and level flight before the landing flare.
  61. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    29/06/2002 Texel, Netherlands LAND 33 ?/?    
    DropZone.com Description:
    Lessons:
    KNVvL Description: An experienced parachutist makes a training jump with his freefly team. Because of a long spot several jumpers do not land near the peas as usual but on a wide open field elsewhere on the airfield. The parachute of the jumper in case continues to descend at high speed after coming out of the last turn. Landing takes place almost immediately at very high speed. The jumper is found with both hands in the frontriser toggles. He passes away in hospital the next day.
    Because of the landing area the accident is seen by few people. If is therefore not possible to create a completely reliable account of the landing. It would seem however that the deceased lost a lot of altitude just before landing by using his frontriser toggles.
    KNVvL Conclusions:Use of frontrisers for gaining speed or for making turns carries risks, especially if this is done low above the ground or on landing.
  62. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    28/07/2002 Kiev, Russia LAND 1000 ?/?    
    Description: In a separate incident the same weekend, an experienced skydiver (1000+ jumps) died in Kiev, Ukraine. He tried to avoid an obstacle (fence) on landing and flared high. His canopy stalled and he hit the ground hard. Died from injuries in hospital.
    Lessons:
  63. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    16/10/2002 Perris, CA MED?,LAND 43 800 Y/Y   #243196
    Description: On October 14th, on an otherwise uneventful skydive, Shannon Embry suffered mortal injuries during or shortly after deployment of her main canopy. Shannon was an exemplary tracker, and it is possible that deployment of her main canopy while still in forward motion could have incapacitated her or perhaps even ended her life. While the main canopy was 100% undamaged, she made no attempt to release the brakes or stow the slider, and continued in a steady weight shift turn until impact. She had trained medical personnel (fellow skydivers) with her within seconds of landing, but could not be resuscitated. She was a mother, a mate, our sister in the sky, a lover, a skydiver, a woman and our friend. She will be missed.
    Lessons:
    USPA Description: This jumper was participating in a large-formation record attempt during which the freefall and breakoff apparently procedded routinely. After her main parachute opened, it was observed in a spiral turn and continued spinning all the way to the ground.
    USPA Conclusions:One witness reported seeing the jumper conscious under canopy with line twists. Other reported that she was hanging limp under a canopy with no line twists. The canopy was reportedly spinning throughoiut the descent until she landed very hard. The brakes were both stowed, and there was no apparent damage to the system to indicate a spin.
    Leaning askew in the harness in one way to initiate and maintain a turn, and the effect is more pronounced on smaller or more highly loaded canopies. An unconcious jump could easily slump unevenly in the harness, causing such a a canopy to spin. Investigators suspect this jumper may have suffered a hard opening that incapacitated her.
    First aid was administered within a few minutes of her landing but was ineffective due to the extent of her injuries. The jumper died from a torn lung and aorta, which the coroner's office concluded were sustained during the hard landing.

    Correction: This woman was reported to have died from internal injuries resulting from a hard landing under a spinning main parachute. However, the coroner's report released later concluded that her fatal internal injuries were caused by the opening of the parachute, not upon landing.
  64. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    12/04/2003 Italy LAND 30 4500 ?/?   #451746
    Description: It appears that the jumper suffered a severed artery after hitting a fence that he had been regularly been performing high performance landings in relation to.
    Lessons:High-performance landings are risky, even more so when performed close to fixed objects. Even the very experienced can get it wrong.
  65. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    04/05/2003 Fallschirmgruppe Sittertal, Switzerland MAL?,LAND ?/?   #473415
    Description: The canopy spiralled from opening until the jumper impacted with the ground.
    Lessons:
  66. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    11/05/2003 Zephyrhills, FL LAND 52 601 Y/N   #478818
    Description: The jumper was observed at approximately 400 feet under a fully functioning canopy. When next observed at approximately 200-300 the jumper appeared to have twists in his canopy. Winds were approximately 15-20 knots and the jumper was in a turbulent area over large trees and downwind of a hangar. It is not know if the turbulence and/or control inputs induced the twists. The jumper was unable to clear the twists before landing and hit at high speed. Despite swift medical assistance, the jumper died of his injuries.
    Lessons:
    USPA Description: After an uneventful freefall and initial canopy descent, witnesses observed this jumper with line twists and spinning under the canopy from approximately 250 feet until he struck the ground.
    USPA Conclusions:Several people observed this jumper at the beginning of his canopy descent flying his parachute without any problems. One witness reported seeing this jumper inititiate a hard toggle turn that may have created the line twists. However, nobody saw the canopy and jumper at the very instant that the line twists actually occurred.
    Because the line twists appeared at 250 feet above the ground, it is suspected that the jumper initiated a hard, fast toggle turn, resulting in the line twists. Winds were reported to be ten to seventeen mph, and the jumper was in an area where turbulence may have been a factor. The jumper had insufficient altitude to safely initiate a cutaway and was apparently unable to recover from the line twists.
    USPA receives reports of this type of jumper-induced malfunction several times a year. Fortunately, most of the jumpers have enough altitude for safe cutaways and reserve deployments. Category G of the Integrated Student Program provides ground training and practical exercises to help students understand the possible dangers of hard toggle turns and the possibility of induced line twists. All jumpers should have a thorough understanding of their parachutes and the limits to the range of control input available for any situation.
    Faced with an unrecoverable situation at an altitude too low for a safe cutaway, a jumper has everything to gain and nothing to lose by deploying the reserve parachute.
  67. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    18/05/2003 Skydive Utah, UT FFCOL,LAND 23 250 Y/N   #489681
    Description: The jumper was diving down to join to complete a seven way formation skydive but was unable to stop before he collided with another jumper hard. Both jumpers had canopies open for landing and seemed to be responsive, but the jumper who collided with the other appeared to lose conciousness at approximately 50 feet and struck the ground hard. He died from his injuries next day in hospital. It is not known if the injuries resulted from the freefall collision or the landing.
    Lessons:High speeds can be achieved when swooping a formation. Jumpers should be prudent and ensure they are able to slow down in time when approaching the formation.
    USPA Description: This jumper exited the airplane last in a 7-way belly-flying group jumping from 12,500 feet. At about 10,000 feet and while still diving, he struck another jumper in the formation. Both jumpers immediately deployed their main parachutes. At approximately 100 feet before landing, this jumper was observed to go limp in his harness. He landed hard while apparently incapacitated and without a landing flare.
    USPA Conclusions:This jumper evidently did not keep and eye on his progress as as he dove toward the formation, or he was unable to slow down before reaching it. In any event, the difference between his freefall speed and that of the formation resulted in a hard collision between him and the other jumper. The jumper who died was not wearing a helmet. He suffered head injuries from the collision itself, according to the medical personnel who responded to the accident.
    However, investigators reported that the landing injuries sustained from the hard, no-flare landing caused this jumper's death. His wing loading was estimated to be 1.4:1, which would provide substantial forward speed in an unflared landing. Either jumping within his limits, wearing a helmet or jumping a larger canopy may have changed the outcome of this accident.
  68. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    21/07/2003 Skydive Miami, FL BIZ,LAND 46 11 Y/Y   #578046
    Description: After an apparent AFF jump from 13,500 feet, the student deployed his canopy at around 5,000 feet. The parachute opened properly and at some point after the opening, the canopy started to spiral. There is a report that the jumpers body appeared limp in the harness. The jumper died after a hard landing. The manufacturers of the harness subsequently posted a service bulletin reporting a Main Lift Web adjuster on a student harness shearing through securing webbing which may or may not have resulted in a fatality.
    Lessons:
    USPA Description: An AFF student had performed routinely during a Category D training jump. However, he dropped his left arm and shoulder as he deployed his BOC pilot chute, causing him to dive head first and roll to te left. The main canopy opened without malfunctioning but proceeded to descen in a tight, spiraling turn. The jumper landed hard while still in a turn.
    USPA Conclusions:The student was jumping a parachute harness with an adjustable main lift web, commonly used by skydiving schools to accommodate different-sized people. Inspection of the gear revealed that the harness had failed where the left main lift web passes through the friction adapter adjustment hardware.
    Apparently, the failure of the left side of the harness caused the student to suddenly drop in the narness and catch his chin on the chest strap, breaking his neck. It is believed he was killed instantly. Hanging unevenly in the harness evidently caused his canopy to turn for the rest of his descent.
    The unstable deployment may have transferred an unusual amount of force to one point of the harness, but the exact reason for the harness failure had not been determined as of this report. The manufacturer has issued a service bulletin for any of the company's equipment with an adjustable harness. The bulletin advises that the assembly be inspected by an FAA rigger in the U.S. or a technician qualified in another country.
    The equipment hasn't been released by local authorities, nor has it been inspected in detail by the manufacturer or other knowledgeable source.
  69. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    09/08/2003 Holeby, Denmark LAND 4 ?/?    
    Description: Downwind landing onto concret runway. Head injuries despite helmet
    Lessons:
  70. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    10/08/2003 Omsk, Russia LAND 17 1 ?/?   #611134
    Description: The jumper was killed during her second jump with round military parachute (D-5). At the landing she really hardly hit the ground with her face, broke her jaw. Then the chute has dragged her by the wind for about 300 meters. When the ground rescue team shortly came, they found the girl dead, choked with her own blood.
    Lessons:
  71. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    29/08/2003 Skydive Arizona, AZ LAND 44 185 Y/Y   #637643
    Description: The jumper exited the aircraft at 13,000 feet and proceeded with a solo skydive. The jumper was seen under a fully inflated canopy and was proceeding to the South landing area. At approximately 2,000 feet the jumper initiated a spiral and continued in spiral until impact with the ground.
    Lessons:
    USPA Description: After an uneventful solo skydive and initial canopy descent, this jumper began a canopy spiral at approximately 2,000 feet AGL, which continued until he struck the ground.
    USPA Conclusions:Witnesses observed that the main parachute appeared to be fully open with no visible problems. A designated parachute rigger examiner inspected the gear and also found nothing wrong. The jumper had a history of spiraling his main canopy, often through busy traffic to low altitudes before stopping the spin. Drop zone staff had spoken to him on several occasions regarding his canopy control. He may have become disoriented from the spin or lost altitude awareness. For whatever reason, he continued the spiral all the way to the ground and was killed by the hard impact.
    A jumper should spiral his canopy only after establishing that there is clear airspace and that the sprial will not interfere with any other canopy traffic. All turns must be completed with enough altitude to allow the canopy to return to straight and level flight for the landing flare.
  72. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    27/11/2003 Skydive Citrusdal, South Africa LAND 34 350 Y/Y 2 #0
    DropZone.com Description: The jumper was on final approach for landing after an uneventful skydive. tempratures at the dropzone were in the 70s. Several eye witnisses reported seeing the jumpers parachute being collapsed by a dust-devil. The jumper fell 100-200 feet under the collapsed parachute and died on impact.
    Lessons:
  73. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    07/01/2004 Kolomna, Russia LAND 35 ?/? 91 #1513029
    DropZone.com Description: Due to a bad spot, the jumper landed downwind across a highway in an attempt to make it to the DZ field. On landing he fractured his leg, lost stability, tumbled forward and collided with a guardpost alongside road (he was wearing a helmet, but impacted with his chest). The impact caused a sternum fracture and tearing of the aorta resulting in immediate death.
    Lessons:
  74. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    21/01/2004 Theewaterskloof Dam, South Africa LAND,EXC 49 5000 ?/? 8 #871056
    Description: From an eye-witness report: the jumper was killed when he impacted a slowly-moving truck on the bridge over Theewaterskloof Dam. The surface wind was light and constant. He was a well-known and very experienced skydiver, had been involved in the planning of the manoeuvre. He jumped from a helicopter and had set up an approach toward the truck, as part of a sequence for a commercial. The scene called for a descending approach over the water for a short way toward the driver's cab, following which the parachutist would turn away in plenty of time to land behind the truck on the bridge. The jumper, other skydivers and the safety co-ordinators all considered the manoeuvre fairly straightforward.

    To lessen the pressure on the skydiver and allow more space for a safe landing, only the 'horse' (driver's cab section) was used, the load-box of the truck having been removed. There was a safety-boat standing by (with engine idling) below the bridge, in case the parachutist was forced to abort the manoeuvre and land in the water. Several 'takes' for the scene were expected. He was wearing a good buoyancy jacket as part of the costume for the scene.

    He impacted the truck as he lost height during a steep hook-turn; and from our perspective, might not have survived, even had he missed the truck.
    Lessons:
  75. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    21/04/2004 Skydive Arizona, AZ LAND 30 2000 ?/? 21 #1044989
    Description: A German special forces soldier died in a skydiving related incident while training with his unit in the USA.
    Lessons:
  76. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    21/05/2004 Yuma, AZ LAND? 31 ?/?    
    Description: An instructor at the military school was found on the ground after a night jump on the last night of a course and died later from his injuries.
    Lessons:
  77. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    04/07/2004 Mercyhurst College, PA LAND 51 2000 ?/? 33 #1142939
    Description: This pro-rated jumper was blown off course and hit a telegraph pole during a demo. The jumper's son, who was also on the demo, reported that whilst flying along the edge of the field at approximately 900 feet he was hit by a huge gust of wind. His canopy (Cpectre 230 loaded at 1.1:1) almost collapsed but recoved by 300 feet. This left him downwind of the landing area with two sets of power lines either side of the road. The jumper was able to flair to clear the first set of lines and cleared the second set by a few inches on full drive, thanks to dip in the lines between the poles, soon after which he landed safely. His father made an almost identical flight except slightly to the side in the path of the pole. He struck the pole about 50ft up, shearing the top off bringing it down with him and the lines and impacted on a paved aprking lot. The jumper died from chect injuries in the hospital.
    Lessons:
  78. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    09/08/2004 Skydive Suffolk, VA LAND 36 201 Y/Y 42 #1192639
    Description: After a uneventful skydive the jumper flew his parachute back to the DZ and turned in for final at appox 600-700 AGL and started a straight in approach at appox 300-350 he grabbed his Front risers and continued his straight in approach. He was deep into the Risers until appox. 10-15 ft AGL when he released his Front Risers and never attempted to flair or was reaching for the rear risers when he struck the ground at appox 20-25 mph. We could not tell if he had his hands in his dive loops or was just grabbing the Risers. It is believed he did have his toggles in his hand although only one was in his hand when we arrived 30-40 secs later. We had 3 EMT's on the field at the time along with a trauma team gear bag, He was in good hands. He was Life flight to the Local Trauma unit were he died several Hours later from massive head trauma
    Lessons:
    USPA Description: After an uneventful freefall and initial canopy descent, this jumper made a straight-in approach from approximately 600 feet. At 300 feet, he pulled both front risers down evenly, apparently to increase his forward speed for landing. He let up on the risers at approximately ten to 15 feet but failed to flare the canopy. He struck the ground feet first and then struck his head hard on the ground.

    He received immediate medical attention and was airlifted to a local hospital. He died several hours later from his head injuries.
    USPA Conclusions:This jumper was jumping an elliptical parachute at a wing loading of 1.4:1. The manufacturer of the canopy recommends that a jumper be an expert at this wing loading, yet this jumper had only 200 jumps. His previous canopy experience was not reported, but with so few jumps, this canopy choice was very aggressive. The jumper never received any type of structured canopy training and may have been unaware of how the canopy would react while using front risers. He was found with a toggle in only one hand, but it is believed he had both toggles in his hands during the landing approach.

    Jumpers should repeatedly practice canopy maneuvers at a higher altitude before attempting to use a speed-building maneuver for landing. Any jumper can benefit from structured canopy training with a knowledgeable canopy pilot as a coach, and those who are looking to make performance landings should especially seek out this type of training.

    Jumpers should downsize to smaller canopies only after becoming thoroughly familiar with larger canopies flown at lighter wing loadings. All jumpers must flare the parachute at an altitude sufficient to allow the canopy to generate lift for the landing.
  79. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    22/08/2004 Mauberge, France LAND,MED? 42 500 ?/? 50 #1214194
    DropZone.com Description: Apparently after a "normal" 90 degree turn from base to final, the arms of the jumper have been observed as "falling to the side". Pilot seemed unconscious. Autopsy might give more information about the cause of the fatality.
    Lessons:
  80. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    27/12/2004 Titusville, FL MAL, LAND 33 ?/? 75  
    Description: One report speculates that the jumper suffered a hard opening on a Sabre rendering him unconcious. A brake also released causing the canopy to spiral to the ground.
    Lessons:
  81. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    06/02/2005 Skydive Teques, Mexico DMAL,LAND 28 0 ?/? 86 #1484773
    Description: The deceased was a tandem student. The tandem main was cutaway after deployment and the reserve was deployed. At a low altitude the reserve collapsed and the pair landed very hard. The student died in hospital one week later. The dropzone is at 5000 feet elevation. The experienced landing area is extremely tight, surrounded by power lines with very few outs.
    Lessons:
  82. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    16/04/2005 Russia LAND ?/? 110 #1603408
    Description: At least two jumpers landed in water after a bad spot due to low clouds and strong winds. One drowned and the other was treated for hypothermia in hospital.
    Lessons:
  83. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    07/05/2005 Skydive Virginia, VA LAND 20 1 Y/Y 148 #1635741
    DropZone.com Description: Student passed away in the hospital on Oct 2 2005 from injuries sustained after canopie collapsed approx 20 ft above ground and head made collision with runway. (student wearing frap hat).The incident occured on May 7 2005 while the tandem was landing under very strong winds. The student had been hosptialised since the date of the accident and finally died due to the injuries.
    Lessons:
    USPA Description: After an uneventful freefall and initial canopy descent, this tandem pair performed a standard landing pattern toward the usual drop zone landing area. At about 20 feet, the main canopy rolled under on the right side, then began to spin for the remainder of the descent. The tandem pair struck the grass with their lower extremities and the runway asphalt with their upper bodies. Both the instructor and student were initially knocked unconscious; however, the instructor woke up shortly after the impact. The instructor wore a fiberglass open-face helmet, and the student wore a leather frap hat. Both were airlifted to a local hospital. The instructor suffered a concussion and multiple broken bones, including his femur and pelvis, but is expected to make a full recovery. The student died from her head injuries almost five months after the accident.
    USPA Conclusions:Winds were reported to be approximately 11 knots with gusts as high as 22 knots around the time of this jump. Ground personnel had attempted to reach the pilot regarding sudden wind gusts experienced in the landing area, but the tandem pair had already exited the aircraft. The other tandem pair on the plane landed off the drop zone without incident. Nearby trees may have created additional turbulence with the already gusty winds, which may have caused the canopy to collapse. The main canopy was found to be in good condition, and the line lengths were found to be within the manufacturer’s specifications. Windy conditions can quickly turn from moderate and acceptable to something beyond what a ram-air parachute can withstand and still remain inflated. All jumpers should exercise caution when the wind conditions become strong or gusty.
  84. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    13/10/2005 Ogden Skydiving Center, UT LAND 44 1 Y/Y 139 #1778867
    DropZone.com Description: On landing the tandem encountered turblence near a building and dropped onto pavement below. The Tandem student suffered fatal injuries with severe head and chest injuries. The tandem instructor suffered serious injuries including head trama and multiple fractures.
    Lessons:
    USPA Description: After an uneventful tandem freefall, the instructor deployed the main canopy at approximately 5,000 feet. As the main canopy inflated, the student slipped out of the harness. She died on impact.
    USPA Conclusions:While the main canopy inflated, the student’s legs swung forward and up, placing her in a pike body position. She fell backward out of the harness through the gap above the horizontal back strap and below the diagonal back straps. Soon after the accident, the tandem equipment manufacturer issued a service bulletin reminding tandem instructors to properly adjust student harnesses. Each tandem equipment manufacturer provides specific procedures for student harness adjustments to ensure correct fit. As a result of this accident and the similar one above, USPA and the Parachute Industry Association released a joint statement reminding skydiving schools to ensure each harness is properly adjusted in accordance with established guidelines. In addition, each tandem manufacturer was requested to review passenger harness designs to ensure that each student, regardless of body shape, is securely held in the harness through the entire skydive.
  85. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    06/01/2006 Skydive Hawaii, HI LAND 33 1 / 170 #2014206
    DropZone.com Description: Deceased was tandem passenger that landed in heavy surf on the North shore of Hawaii.
    Lessons:
  86. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    06/01/2006 Skydive Hawaii, HI LAND 69 / 169 #2014206
    DropZone.com Description: Reports indicate that the canopy was snagged in the reef and both people drowned.
    Lessons:
  87. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    30/04/2006 Spisska Nova Ves, Slovak Republic LAND 30 1 / 178  
    DropZone.com Description: Skydiver jumped with instructor from helicopter Mi-8 above DZ Spisska Nova Ves. Group of skydivers was deployed off of the DZ. They found some place for landing(field). There wes an electric wire. Skydiver probably did not see that. He landed across that. Next followed electric shock and he fell from 10m to the ground.
    Lessons:
  88. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    26/07/2006 World Freefall Convention, IL LAND 57 1200 Y/? 205 #2351018
    DropZone.com Description: "Jumper was seen doing a hook turn over the main organizer tents. He was swooping in between the large tents, in the course of his swoop he flew head first into a parked truck. He died instantly on the scene.
    First hand reports state that even with out the truck he would have still died due to how low he was while still diving in the turn.
    He was loading the canopy at approx 1.99:1."
    Lessons:
    USPA Description: After an uneventful freefall and initial canopy descent, this jumper initiated a 180-degree right front-riser turn at an altitude witnesses estimated between 120 and 140 feet. His turn placed his canopy in a steep dive with his flight path directly toward a large tent. At approximately 35 feet above the ground, he made a turn to the left to avoid the tent, steepening the dive. He simultaneously struck a parked truck and the ground and was killed instantly by the impact.
    USPA Conclusions:Although there were several large, open landing areas nearby, this jumper chose to land in an area surrounded by obstacles—in an apparent attempt to swoop close to the large tent. Witnesses reported he made no attempt to flare his canopy or stop the turn at an altitude that would have provided for a safe landing. He may have been distracted by the obstacles or overwhelmed by the situation he faced seconds before he struck the ground. He was jumping a cross-braced canopy at a wing loading estimated to be 1.6:1. The report did not indicate the number of jumps he had made on this canopy, but at 1,200 total jumps and three years of experience in the sport, he had downsized to this canopy rapidly. Highly loaded cross-braced canopies require training and special skills to fly and land safely. Skydiver’s Information Manual Sections 6-10 and 6-11 contain canopy piloting information and training recommendations for jumpers of all experience levels. The report did not indicate whether this jumper had received any formal canopy coaching. Jumpers can reduce the risks of high-performance landings with training from a canopy coach. Jumpers who choose to make high-performance landings should do so over large, clear areas free of other canopy traffic and obstacles. A jumper should be prepared to stop the turn and flare the canopy regardless of the intended landing direction in case he initiated the turn too low. All turns must be completed with enough altitude for the canopy to return to straight and level flight for the landing flare.
  89. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    26/08/2006 Skydive Orange, VA LAND 31 900 Y/N 212 #2403356
    DropZone.com Description: The jumper was seen under a spinning canopy after deployment. At a lower altitude, the canopy started flying straight. Nearer to the ground the canopy began to spin and continued to spin until impact.

    The jumper was jumping a Birdman S3 wingsuit and only partially released his wings after opening. The wings were unzipped to the elbows and one was released completly. He also did not release the brakes on the canopy.
    Lessons:
    USPA Description: After an uneventful wingsuit skydive, this jumper deployed his main canopy at 5,000 feet. Witnesses reported his canopy immediately began to spin violently to the right, making multiple revolutions before flying straight and level for a short time. At approximately 800 feet, the canopy entered a left-hand spiral, which continued until impact. The jumper received immediate medical attention but was pronounced dead at the scene.
    USPA Conclusions:The jumper was found with the risers of his main canopy twisted together tightly behind his neck. Two FAA master riggers inspected the equipment on site to carefully preserve the assembly of the main canopy and harness and container system. They found both brakes still stowed on the main risers. After untwisting the lines, they found each main riser also had an independent 360-degree twist—both in the same direction. They determined the independent riser-twist configuration was possible only if each riser had been attached to the harness with the twist in place. They ruled out a step-through malfunction, as this would have created riser twists in opposite directions on each side. A designated parachute rigger examiner later inspected the equipment and verified the findings of the two master riggers. Witnesses reported that the jumper had been jumping demonstration main canopies the day before the accident, though it is uncertain when his own main canopy was reconnected to his harness or the method—if any—that was used to check the main canopy line continuity. Investigators found the jumper’s cutaway handle dislodged approximately six inches from the harness, but both risers were still connected to the harness even though one of the cutaway cables had cleared the 3-ring assembly and was no longer through its retainer loop. It was unclear if this configuration indicated a very low cutaway attempt or if the handle had been dislodged on impact. The jumper’s wingsuit arms were partially unzipped, and one of the suit’s cutaway handles, each of which releases the arm wing from the jumper’s side, had been pulled. Wingsuits are designed to allow cutaways and reserve deployments without any additional steps, such as freeing the arms or disconnecting the wings. However, deployment while wearing a wingsuit is generally considered the most complicated portion of the skydive. Skydiver’s Information Manual Section 6-9 recommends that beginning wingsuit jumpers initiate deployment no lower than 5,000 feet and experienced wingsuit flyers deploy by 3,000 feet. This jumper was using an elliptical canopy at a wing loading estimated to be 1.5:1. SIM Section 6-9 recommends that wingsuit jumpers use a docile main canopy with consistent opening characteristics. This jumper’s aggressive wing loading may have caused this malfunction to be more violent. If he was physically able, he should have released his main canopy and deployed his reserve. Once he got the canopy flying straight, he may have thought he could land it, but then it started spinning again. With the risers twisted individually as they were, an elliptical canopy would be difficult—if not impossible—to land in this configuration, even without the left- and right-sidelines twisted together. Rear-riser input with the brakes set may cause a very abrupt turn, especially at higher wing loadings. A jumper must ensure his main canopy is controllable while still at a safe altitude to cut away and deploy his reserve if necessary. SIM Section 5-1 recommends that students and A-license jumpers initiate emergency procedures no lower than 2,500 feet and that B- through D-license holders initiate emergency procedures no lower than 1,800 feet.
  90. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    02/09/2006 CO LAND,LOWT? 27 796 Y/N   #2491635
    Description: The deceased suffered head and leg inuries during a landing and seemed to be recovering in hospital but developed complications to the head injuries which lead to meningitis and resulted in death several week after the incident.
    Lessons:
    USPA Description: After an uneventful freefall and initial canopy descent, this jumper initiated a 450-degree front-riser turn at an unreported altitude. He struck the ground hard while still in a diving turn, suffering head injuries and a broken femur. He was transported to a local hospital, where he died several weeks later due to complications developed from his head injuries.
    USPA Conclusions:This jumper had recently downsized to a 96-square-foot cross-braced parachute following a relatively rapid canopy progression, with only four years in the sport and fewer than 800 jumps. This was his first skydive of the weekend following a two- or three-week layoff from jumping. His previous canopy was an elliptical 120-square-foot model, though the report did not indicate the number of jumps he had made with that canopy. Even though he had been working with a canopy coach, his advancement to a cross-braced canopy with a wing loading of 2.2:1 in only 796 jumps indicates a very aggressive progression. The report indicated that he had a tendency to begin his final approach turns a bit low. Although he was working on the problem and had improved his setup, he should not have downsized to a smaller and faster cross-braced parachute if he was having control problems with a larger, slower one. Cross-braced canopies perform significantly different than elliptical parachutes and typically dive much faster and lose altitude at a much greater rate. Canopy pilots should use additional caution when changing size or design of canopy while becoming familiar with the handling characteristics of a new parachute. A jumper should practice landing maneuvers on a new canopy above 1,000 feet before attempting them on an actual landing. Skydiver’s Information Manual Sections 6-10 and 6-1 contain valuable information regarding canopy training and downsizing recommendations. A jumper should only downsize to a smaller parachute after demonstrating excellent control and accuracy in a variety of wind and weather conditions with his current canopy. All turns must be completed with enough altitude for the canopy to return to straight and level flight for the landing flare.
  91. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    14/09/2006 Germany LOWT,LAND Y/? 216  
    DropZone.com Description: After coming out of his turn the jumper tried to avoid an obstacle by pulling his legs up. Unfortunately he had his hands in his frontrisers and pulled them down while pulling himself up. He collided in a dive with a second obstacle behind the first he had avoided. He had just downsized from a 135 one week ago.
    Lessons:
  92. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    31/10/2006 Eggenfelden, Germany LAND 44 300 ?/? 225 #2512839
    DropZone.com Description: Jumper recently downsized his canopy from a 150 to the 138. On this jump there was no wind and the spot was directly over the DZ. After a normal freefall and opening the jumper began to carry out spiral turns and kept turning until below 1000 feet. He stopped turning and flew straight for a bit, then started a sharp 270 degree turn that ended when he hit the roof of the hangar. The jumper then fell off the roof of the hanger to the ground below.
    Lessons:
  93. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    12/11/2006 Fano, Italy LAND 47 1800 ?/? 224 #2537764
    DropZone.com Description: The experienced skydiver impacted against the border enclosure of dropzone during a swoop.
    Lessons:
  94. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    25/01/2007 Barra Da Tijuca, Brazil LAND 210 Y/? 235 #2673021
    DropZone.com Description: After a low turn, the jumper hit a wall. Assistance was made at the scene and the jumper was transfered to the hospital. He passed away few hours after the accident.
    Lessons:
  95. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    03/02/2007 Skydive Auckland, New Zealand LAND 32 1500 ?/? 234 #2652036
    DropZone.com Description: Jumper was flying his canopy in for landing then it appears the canopy may have collapsed in turbulence during a speed inducing turn. More details are needed for this incident.
    Lessons:
  96. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    04/05/2007 Burgheim, Germany LAND,MED? 39 400 ?/? 286 #2795899
    Description: During a hop and pop jump from 2000 metres (open at 1800 metres), the deceased flew the canopy as normal until the cross wind leg then appeared to lose consciousness. He landed without any further canopy control input onto the pavement and then collided with a tree. He was recussitated with CPR but died later in hospital.
    Lessons:
  97. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    06/05/2007 Russia LAND ?/?    
    Description: This jumper was a very experienced skydiver, accuracy and BASE jumper. Reports are conflicting: low turn, obstacle avoidance, hand stuck in front riser loop. The canopy he was jumping was a bizarre FX-clone with semi-airlocks and paraplane-kind semi-hard inserts in the nose that never went into production but there are a few prototypes around and being flown.
    Lessons:
  98. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    20/05/2007 Deland, FL LAND 44 1100 Y/? 281 #2813958
    Description: The deceased was taking part in a high performance canopy piloting competition. From all accounts he had a great approach and his recovery arc was looking great. Apparently about 45 feet off the ground the pilot made an unexpected (and unnecessary as he was in line with the gates) turn. The general concensus appears to be that his rear riser slipped from one hand and either that alone, or his hand going by and catching the toggle a bit, initiated the abrupt turn. The jump also occurred very early in the morning, with the rising sun in the eyes of the competitors. The deceased wasn't wearing sunglasses as most of the competitors were and there is a possibility his vision may have been impaired which contributed to the unexpected turn.
    Lessons:
    USPA Description: Following an uneventful exit and deployment at approximately 4,000 feet, this jumper initiated a 270-degree turn roughly 800 feet above the ground for his approach into a canopy course during a regional swoop competition. As the canopy began to level off from its recovery arc just above the ground, the parachute turned abruptly to the left, which caused the jumper to strike the ground in a diving turn at a high rate of speed. The jumper received immediate medical attention, but died at the scene from his injuries, which included compound fractures of his left tibia and fibula, a broken neck and a torn aorta.
    USPA Conclusions:

    This jumper's 270-degree front riser turn created a diving approach toward the entry gates into the swoop course. As the canopy began to level off near the entrance to the course, he steered the canopy and flattened the recovery arc by pulling both rear risers evenly. After reviewing video footage of the incident, investigators reported that it appeared as though the right rear riser slipped from the jumper's hand as he pulled down on both rear risers, which caused the canopy to abruptly dive to the left. The diving left turn caused the jumper to strike the ground at a very high rate of descent and forward speed. Investigators could not determine if he had kept his steering toggles in his hands as he controlled his canopy with the risers, but he made no attempt to flare the canopy with toggles or rear risers. The video showed that only one-fourth second lapsed between the time when his riser apparently slipped from his hand and when he struck the ground—barely enough time to even realize what had happened, much less react to the situation.

    This jumper had participated in canopy competitions before this event and had trained with very experienced canopy competitors to learn more about high-performance canopy landings. The report did not indicate the number of jumps this skydiver had made with his current canopy—a 90-square foot cross-braced parachute—but with only four years of skydiving experience and 1,100 total jumps, he would have had to downsize rapidly. His wing-loading of 2.1:1 exceeded the maximum loading recommended by the manufacturer for expert skydivers.

    This accident shows there is no margin for error when flying highly wing-loaded canopies at fast speeds near the ground. There may have been a slight chance to flare the canopy with toggles and initiate a carving turn instead of striking the ground, but the response would have had to be immediate once the riser slipped from his hand. Jumpers should keep their toggles in hand until they have landed, even while using risers to control the canopy. Ultimately, all turns must be completed with enough altitude for the canopy to return to straight and level flight for the landing flare.
  99. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    17/06/2007 Cremona, Italy LAND 24 7 ?/? 267 #2852447
    Description: A student on her 7th freefall progression jump landed off the dropzone and landed in a road, despite other safer options around, and was hit by a car at high speed, suffering massive injuries and died in the ambulance on the way to hospital.
    Lessons:Roads with cars on should be considered as extremely hazardous and every effort should be made to land in as safe an area as possible.
  100. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    09/08/2007 Russia LAND 1700 ?/? 305 #2914668
    DropZone.com Description: Reports indicate he flew his canopy into a vehicle or a parked plane.
    Lessons:
  101. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    25/08/2007 Italy LAND 36 500 ?/N 292 #2931463
    DropZone.com Description: The jumper made a violent front riser turn at low altitude, starting from full brake, causing canopy collapse with line twists. The jumper hit a house roof then fell in the garden below where he struck a metal pole.
    Lessons:
  102. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    22/09/2007 Germany LAND 46 502 ?/? 302  
    DropZone.com Description: No details
    Lessons:
  103. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    28/10/2007 Johannesburg Skydiving Club, South Africa LAND 45 5300 ?/? 304 #2994810
    DropZone.com Description: Jumper had completed a 270 degree front riser turn in preperation for landing. After this time he switched for his rear risers to level out and it appeared that he lost a riser and tried to regrab it but was too late and struck the ground. The jumper came to rest over 30 meters from the initial impact location.
    Lessons:
  104. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    20/04/2008 Hohenlockstedt, Germany LAND 61 1000 / 331 #3201596
    DropZone.com Description: Jumper deployed main in 2700-3300 ft and seemed to have problems with his parachute. Witnesses describe seeing several stalls. He proceeded to cut away in 1100 to 950 ft. Normal reserve opening. The jumper was seriously injured on landing in an area outside of the DZ which was obscured from view of the people who saw the cutaway. Why the landing was bad is still being investigated. The jumper was provided with immediate assistance before a rescue helicopter and ambulances arrived only a few miutes later. The jumper later died due to internal injuries.
    Lessons:
  105. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    01/07/2008 Atmosphair Skydiving Center, QuebecCA LAND 32 1 /Y 344 #3256339
    DropZone.com Description: The student was doing his first jump and during his landing pattern he flew into electrical lines that were off dropzone.
    Lessons:
  106. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    05/07/2008 Pull Out, Germany LAND 41 350 / 350 #3259252
    DropZone.com Description: After uneventfull canopy ride, low turn to go from downwind to into the wind for landing and hit a parked car.
    Lessons:
  107. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    21/07/2008 Skydive Kentucky, KY LAND,MED? 47 5000 / 352 #3259420
    DropZone.com Description: Jumper had completed a 2 way freefly and was seen to fly the first portion of his canopy flight normally and was in half brakes. At his entry point into the pattern he was observed to have retunred to an arms up position but failed to make any more input until he landed with out flaring. He landed crosswind in slight wind conditions. He was wearing a Gath freefly helmet but suffered haed trama from striking the ground. Medical examination lead the pathologist to suggest he had a siezure or heart attack under canopy and that lead to his unresponsiveness.
    Lessons:
  108. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    16/08/2008 Germany LAND,MED? 33 / 366 #3302550
    DropZone.com Description:

    Jumper was doing a recurrency hop and pop from 1400 meters, his last jump may have been as far as 10 years previous.Normal opening, steering inputs observed up to 150ft thereafter no visible inputs or reaction of the jumper. The canopy and jumper drifted behind a small hill where the jumper suffered a hard landing.He was provided with first aid by fellow jumpers. He was unconscious and was flown to hospital by helicopter where he later passed.

    Normal opening, steering inputs observed up to 150ft thereafter no visible inputs or reaction of the jumper. The canopy and jumper drifted behind a small hill where the jumper suffered a hard landing.

    He was provided with first aid by fellow jumpers. He was unconscious and was flown to hospital by helicopter where he later passed.
    Lessons:
  109. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    23/09/2008 Skydive Lillo, Spain LAND 40 40 ?/? 385 #3341647
    DropZone.com Description: The jumper opened normally, flew a regular pattern, then at 150 meters started turning and impacted after 3 or 4 rotations.
    Lessons:
  110. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    03/10/2008 Stade de Saint-Denis de l'Hotel, France LAND 42 ?/? 387 #3351679
    DropZone.com Description: Jumper was doing a demo into a soccer field and collided with a light pole on his approach. He fell onto spectators whom he killed one and seriously injured others and he suffered fatal injuries from the fall.
    Lessons: