What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: klaus jurgen stern, a german foreign national skydiver, suffered the following serious injuries when his main parachute appeared to collapse at an altitude of approximately 30 feet, causing him to impact with the ground, during an approach for landing at Dillingham airfield (hdh), at approximately 1715 local: fracture and dislocation of the left pelvis. Fracture of the left hip. Fracture of the right ankle. Bladder laceration. Concussion. According to witnesses that after participating in a successful 15 way freefall with 1 video cameraman, that Mr. Stern experienced a normal main parachute opening and descent under a good main canopy. Mr. Stern's approach for landing was correct in that he was facing into the wind, however, the attitude of the canopy was unusual and the canopy seemed to collapse at approximately 30 feet above the ground. The left side of the parachute appeared to fold under almost touching the right. Mr. Stern was swung out from under the canopy and struck the ground at approximately the same time as the parachute. The conditions were dry, the sky was clear, and the winds were somewhat turbulent northerly trade winds blowing between 10 and 15 mph. Mr. Stern was medevac to queens medical center where he underwent emergency surgery, subsequent surgery, and continued care. Mr. Stern has 2,272 parachute jumps and is a member of the german parachute association (dfv) member #1899. Mr. Stern holds an equivalent uspa "d" license. Mr. Stern appears to also be a german certificated/licensed parachute rigger-#5023. At this time it is not possible to confirm that Mr. Stern is a german certificated/licensed parachute rigger as no official certificate or license could be found among his possessions. Mr. Stern's own personal riggers logbook was found among his belongings indicating he was assigned packer #5023. Mr. Stern can not be interviewed at this time as he does not remember the incident. Mr. Stern's parachute equipment details: Mr. Stern packed his own reserve parachute on 12-10-95 and his main on 12-16-95. Harness and container-mfgr., thomas sports; model, teardrop dual; non tso'd. reserve parachute-mfgr., parachutes de france s.a.; model, transfair XH6; 126 sq. Ft.; TSO-C23C. Main parachute-mfgr., glide path; model, nova; 99 sq. Ft.; non tso'd. automatic activation device-mfgr., airtech; model, cypress; non tso'd.incident #IWP1396004 no pilot deviation no NMAC no eir see ptrs #WP139605561 for further details. No further action required, this item is closed. Curtis j. whaley aviation safety inspector airworthiness, federal aviation administration.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: KLAUS JURGEN STERN, A GERMAN FOREIGN NATIONAL SKYDIVER, SUFFERED THE FOLLOWING SERIOUS INJURIES WHEN HIS MAIN PARACHUTE APPEARED TO COLLAPSE AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET, CAUSING HIM TO IMPACT WITH THE GROUND, DURING AN APPROACH FOR LANDING AT DILLINGHAM AIRFIELD (HDH), AT APPROXIMATELY 1715 LOCAL: FRACTURE AND DISLOCATION OF THE LEFT PELVIS. FRACTURE OF THE LEFT HIP. FRACTURE OF THE RIGHT ANKLE. BLADDER LACERATION. CONCUSSION. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THAT AFTER PARTICIPATING IN A SUCCESSFUL 15 WAY FREEFALL WITH 1 VIDEO CAMERAMAN, THAT MR. STERN EXPERIENCED A NORMAL MAIN PARACHUTE OPENING AND DESCENT UNDER A GOOD MAIN CANOPY. MR. STERN'S APPROACH FOR LANDING WAS CORRECT IN THAT HE WAS FACING INTO THE WIND, HOWEVER, THE ATTITUDE OF THE CANOPY WAS UNUSUAL AND THE CANOPY SEEMED TO COLLAPSE AT APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PARACHUTE APPEARED TO FOLD UNDER ALMOST TOUCHING THE RIGHT. MR. STERN WAS SWUNG OUT FROM UNDER THE CANOPY AND STRUCK THE GROUND AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME TIME AS THE PARACHUTE. THE CONDITIONS WERE DRY, THE SKY WAS CLEAR, AND THE WINDS WERE SOMEWHAT TURBULENT NORTHERLY TRADE WINDS BLOWING BETWEEN 10 AND 15 MPH. MR. STERN WAS MEDEVAC TO QUEENS MEDICAL CENTER WHERE HE UNDERWENT EMERGENCY SURGERY, SUBSEQUENT SURGERY, AND CONTINUED CARE. MR. STERN HAS 2,272 PARACHUTE JUMPS AND IS A MEMBER OF THE GERMAN PARACHUTE ASSOCIATION (DFV) MEMBER #1899. MR. STERN HOLDS AN EQUIVALENT USPA "D" LICENSE. MR. STERN APPEARS TO ALSO BE A GERMAN CERTIFICATED/LICENSED PARACHUTE RIGGER-#5023. AT THIS TIME IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO CONFIRM THAT MR. STERN IS A GERMAN CERTIFICATED/LICENSED PARACHUTE RIGGER AS NO OFFICIAL CERTIFICATE OR LICENSE COULD BE FOUND AMONG HIS POSSESSIONS. MR. STERN'S OWN PERSONAL RIGGERS LOGBOOK WAS FOUND AMONG HIS BELONGINGS INDICATING HE WAS ASSIGNED PACKER #5023. MR. STERN CAN NOT BE INTERVIEWED AT THIS TIME AS HE DOES NOT REMEMBER THE INCIDENT. MR. STERN'S PARACHUTE EQUIPMENT DETAILS: MR. STERN PACKED HIS OWN RESERVE PARACHUTE ON 12-10-95 AND HIS MAIN ON 12-16-95. HARNESS AND CONTAINER-MFGR., THOMAS SPORTS; MODEL, TEARDROP DUAL; NON TSO'D. RESERVE PARACHUTE-MFGR., PARACHUTES DE FRANCE S.A.; MODEL, TRANSFAIR XH6; 126 SQ. FT.; TSO-C23C. MAIN PARACHUTE-MFGR., GLIDE PATH; MODEL, NOVA; 99 SQ.FT.; NON TSO'D. AUTOMATIC ACTIVATION DEVICE-MFGR., AIRTECH; MODEL, CYPRESS; NON TSO'D.INCIDENT #IWP1396004 NO PILOT DEVIATION NO NMAC NO EIR SEE PTRS #WP139605561 FOR FURTHER DETAILS. NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED, THIS ITEM IS CLOSED. CURTIS J. WHALEY AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR AIRWORTHINESS, FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION.
Other reports on N926S · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.