3 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.
    Name Sarah Ainspan
  2. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    26/07/2003 Eagles Skydiving, TX MAL 57 ?/?   #587657
    Description: The jumper was going to get off of student status that weekend. She went up to practice her graduation dive. front loop, back loop right 360, left 360. She did the sequence and then turned to track. Then she went into a slow turn until she pulled around 1000 - 1300 ft. Her canopy had a few line twists and it looked like it pinned her head down. I guess that she got nervous and cut away without checking her altimeter and landed under a partially inflated reserve. The altiometer didnt look like it was damaged on the outside, and the needle was resting on zero. The cypress did fire and the rig had an RSL. And she pulled the reserve handle. Everyone was shocked that she pulled under the hard deck. She always pulled when she was supposed to, even if she was on her back.
    Lessons:
    Name Sara McNew Tyler
  3. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    04/07/2005 Cross Keys, NJ CCOL 23 1398 Y/N 126 #1717283
    Description: The two collided under canopy at about 150 feet. Both received immediate attention but had died on impact.
    Lessons:
    USPA Description: These two jumpers were preparing to land with high-performance approaches. One initiated a 360-degree final turn as the other jumper initiated a 180-degree turn at nearly the same time but from a lower altitude. The two collided at an estimated 300 feet, then began to pinwheel around the entangled parachutes, making several revolutions before striking the ground. Both jumpers received immediate medical attention but were pronounced dead at the scene.
    USPA Conclusions:Witnesses reported hearing a loud noise and then seeing the two jumpers entangled together and unresponsive from the time of the collision until striking the ground. They did not see the angle at which the two jumpers collided. The jumpers either did not see each other or were unable to avoid the collision once each had committed to the final turn for landing. The risk of a canopy collision is greatest while in the landing pattern below 1,000 feet. Jumpers are often too focused on the landing area, rather than paying attention to canopy traffic. All jumpers need to remain clear of other canopy traffic and fly predictable landing patterns that allow for separation from other jumpers. This is especially critical for those who choose to fly parachutes at high wing loadings and make high-performance approaches. Before initiating a high-performance turn to landing, a jumper must make sure his airspace is clear in all directions throughout the turn. It was not reported whether either jumper had received professional canopy coaching. One of the first subjects covered by most professional canopy schools is canopy patterns, traffic and avoidance of others under canopy and in the landing area. Jumpers should plan each parachute descent to include a landing pattern in normal circumstances and an alternate landing plan in case of unusual circumstances such as traffic or obstacles in the landing area.
    Name Sara