1 Matches (out of a total of 833 incidents)
  1. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    18/04/2003 Weston-on-the-Green, England LOWT 28 63 ?/?   #452520
    Description: On a windy day, this jumper appears to have made a low turn in an effort to face into wind for landing.
    Lessons:Landing crosswind or even downwind is preferable to landing in a turn.
    BPA Description: At approximately 12.15 hrs on Friday 18th April 2003, the deceased, an FAI ‘B’ Certificate parachutist, with 63 jumps, boarded a Dornier G92 aircraft at RAFSPA along with thirteen other parachutists. He was part of a four-way group intending to make an FS descent.

    The aircraft climbed to approximately 12,000ft AGL. A ‘jump run’ was made over the PLA. When the aircraft was over the ‘exit point’, a group of four parachutists exited the aircraft, followed by a group of two parachutists. The deceased, along with three fellow parachutists, then exited as a group of four. They were followed shortly after by the remaining four parachutists on board.

    The free fall part of the descent went without incident, during which a number of FS manoeuvres were completed. At approximately 4,000ft AGL the parachutists separated and deployed their parachutes between 2 - 3,000ft AGL.

    All parachutes deployed normally and the deceased’s parachute appeared to be flying correctly. At some stage his parachute was seen to fly past the intended landing area and at approximately 100ft AGL was observed to be facing the parachute into wind, approximately 100 metres short (down wind) of the intended landing area. His parachute was then seen to make a sharp left hand turn, completing approximately 90° before impacting with a concrete area of the ground.
    BPA Conclusions:A BPA Board of Inquiry was formed, consisting of Tony Butler and Tony Goodman. During the investigation, it was noted that three of the plastic connector link protection ‘tubes’ on the main parachute had been ripped and damaged, probably over a period of many jumps and the fourth ‘tube’, on the right front riser, was intact, but was positioned approximately half way down the riser.

    Following the investigation, the Board came to the following Conclusions:

    The deceased made an uneventful free fall descent. He deployed his main parachute at the correct altitude. He remained upwind for the majority of the descent. He over-flew the intended landing area and because of the wind strength and/or possibly due to a lack of judgement, ended up too far down-wind to enable him to get back to the intended landing area.

    Being over an area which contained a number of minor hazards, the Board believe that he then decided to pull down on both his front risers, in an effort to gain extra ‘drive’ in the hope of landing closer to his original intended landing area.

    The Board believe that when he pulled his front risers down, he may have also pulled on the right connector link protection ‘tube’ and pulled it loose from the connector link. The riser may then have slipped up, through the ‘tube’, having the same effect as releasing that riser, which could have caused a very sharp turn to the left.

    It is also possible that he could have made a sharp intentional turn to the left, though the Board believe this is unlikely. It is also possible that as he was nearing the ground, he may have been distracted, acknowledging a friend who was below him, though, it is unlikely that this would have affected the outcome of this tragic accident.
    Name
    Alex Moore