1 Matches (out of a total of 833 incidents)

1. Date	Location	Category	Age	# Jumps	AAD?/RSL?	Dropzone.com Report	Dropzone.com Discussion
   07/06/2003	Skydive Chicago, IL	CCOL	48	9000	Y/?		#512817
   DropZone.com Description:
   Lessons:
   USPA Description: Two jumpers collided at approximately 30 to 50 feet while on final approach toward the entry gate of a swoop course. The lower jumper's canopy collapsed, and he struck the ground hard in a prone position. He was transported to a local hospital. While being airlifted to a different hospital for treatment, he died of head injuries sustained from the hard landing.
   USPA Conclusions:The two jumpers invloved in the collision were on the same load of a Twin Otter aircraft but were not jumping with each other. A swoop course had recently been placed in the landing area in preparation for an upcoming competition. The jumper who survived the collision reported that he scanned the airspace before initiating a left turn to approach the swoop course but saw no other canopy in the area. As his canopy begain to level out and he was looking at the entry gate of the swoop course, his feet hit the canopy of the lower jumper, causing that canopy to collapse at an alittude reported at 30 to 50 feet. The top jumper lost sight of the ground for a few seconds due to the other canopy's obstructing his view. He then saw the ground was very close and flared his canopy just as his feet and knees hit the ground, resulting in anjle, leg and knee injuries. Reports conflict regarding the approach direction used by the jumper who was killed. His own canopy may have blocked his view of the higher jumper from either a right or left approach. He also may have been concentrating on his own entry into the swoop course. The speeds obtainable under highly wing-loaded canopies allow jumpers to cover large distances in just a few seconds. It is crucial that every jumper maintain and confirm clear airspace, especially with high-performance approaches, to prevent this type of accident. At drop zones with courses for canopy swooping, jumpers need to establish and adhere to clear policies to ensure that only qualified canopy pilots attempt to use the course and that only one jumper approaches it at a time. All jump[ers must continually scan the airspace around them during canopy descent and be prepared to abort their original landing plans in case of traffic problems or other hazards.
   Name	Roger Nelson