A skydiving attempt in Australia went awry after one person’s parachute snagged on the aircraft’s tail, leaving them suspended 15,000 feet in the air.
The plane, a Cessna 208 Caravan, took off from Tully in northern Queensland on Sept. 20 with a pilot and 17 parachutists on board, who were planning a 16-way formation jump from 15,000 feet (more than 4,500 metres), filmed by a parachuting camera operator, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said in an incident report.
Footage from the jump, captured by a camera mounted on the plane’s fuselage, shows the first skydiver and the camera operator climbing out of the roller door and the handle for the diver’s reserve parachute snagging on the wing flap, inadvertently deploying their chute.
The parachute drags the skydiver backwards, sending their legs into the plane’s stabilizer and knocking the camera operator into a freefall. The parachute then wraps around the stabilizer, suspending the parachutist below the aircraft.
“The pilot recalled feeling the aircraft suddenly pitch up, and observed the airspeed rapidly decreasing,” ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell explained.
Get breaking National news
“Initially unaware of what had occurred, the pilot believed the aircraft had stalled, and pushed forward on the control column and applied some power in response. But upon being told there was a skydiver hung up on the tailplane, they reduced power again.”
While the pilot wrestled to stabilize the plane, 13 more parachutists exited the aircraft, while two remained in the doorway, watching as the stranded skydiver used a hook knife to sever 11 lines from their reserve parachute, allowing the remainder to tear, freeing them from the aircraft.
During free fall, the parachuter successfully deployed their main parachute, which fully inflated despite being entangled with what remained of their reserve.
The parachutist then landed safely, having sustained minor injuries in the accident.
“With all parachutists out of the aircraft, the pilot assessed they had limited pitch control, given the substantially damaged tailplane, which still had a portion of the reserve parachute wrapped around it,” Mitchell said.
The pilot maintained a stable airspeed during descent and made a mayday call.
The pilot, who was wearing an emergency parachute, prepared to bail out during the descent if they deemed they did not have sufficient control to land the aircraft, the report said, but landed without further incident.
Mitchell said the terrifying turn of events reminds skydivers of the importance of being mindful of where their handles are, especially when leaving the aircraft.
“Carrying a hook knife – although it is not a regulatory requirement – could be lifesaving in the event of a premature reserve parachute deployment,” he said.
According to the report, the Far North Freefall Club, which facilitated the jump, now requires all skydivers to carry a hook knife. It also reiterated the importance of wearing an emergency parachute and stated that it is making numerous updates to its training and safety procedures.
All the parachutists on board, including the camera operator, landed safely.
Comments