1 Matches (out of a total of 833 incidents)
  1. Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
    06/05/2002 Ellington, CT NOP 47 2040 N/N   #178694
    DropZone.com Description:
    Lessons:
    USPA Description: This jumper, a highly experienced USPA Accelerated Freefall instructor, was making a Category C AFF skydive as the main-side instructor. At the student's pull altitude, the formation tumbled with both instructors still holding the student's harness. The reserve-side instructor released the student, who continued to tumble with the main-side instructor. The instructor deployed the student's main canopy just as the AAD activated the student's reserve. The instructor, who was not equipped with an AAD, reached the ground before deploying either of his own parachutes.
    USPA Conclusions:The AFF syllabus in the Instructor Rating Manual lists the prcodures for AFF Instructors to follow when presented with this scenario. Under no circumstances should the instructor try to catch a student or remain with a student below the instructor's 2,000 foot minimum deployment altitude, specified in USPA's Basic Safety Requirements.

    The instructor was not wearing an AAD, theuse of which may have changed the outcome of this event. An audible altimeter may also have helped warn the instructor that time and altitude were running out during the tumble.
    Name Robert Bonadies