19980704033019I

Incident

FAA incident report · Aircraft · Ottawa, IL · July 4, 1998

Date: July 4, 1998 · 20:01 local
Place: Ottawa, IL
Phase of flight: Parachute Jumping
Operating rules: Parachute jumping (Part 105)
Aircraft: UNKNOWN
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The parachutist was fatally injured when he struck the ground in a spiral approximately 90 degrees to the surface. The canopy of the main parachute was observed to be fully opened. The reserve parachue had not ben deployed, however, it was determined to be fully operational by this inspector. Witnesses observed what appeared to be a leg caught in the lines that control the steering. Mr. Briggs had been observed on previous jumps to put his feet in the steering controls over his head. It was determined that he had sent correspondence over the internet stating he was interested in steering with his feet and understood the dangers associated with it. (Above narrative from 8020-23)

As the FAA filed it

THE PARACHUTIST WAS FATALLY INJURED WHEN HE STRUCK THE GROUND IN A SPIRAL APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES TO THE SURFACE. THE CANOPY OF THE MAIN PARACHUTE WAS OBSERVED TO BE FULLY OPENED. THE RESERVE PARACHUE HAD NOT BEN DEPLOYED, HOWEVER, IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE FULLY OPERATIONAL BY THIS INSPECTOR. WITNESSES OBSERVED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A LEG CAUGHT IN THE LINES THAT CONTROL THE STEERING. MR. BRIGGS HAD BEEN OBSERVED ON PREVIOUS JUMPS TO PUT HIS FEET IN THE STEERING CONTROLS OVER HIS HEAD. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT HE HAD SENT CORRESPONDENCE OVER THE INTERNET STATING HE WAS INTERESTED IN STEERING WITH HIS FEET AND UNDERSTOOD THE DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. (ABOVE NARRATIVE FROM 8020-23)