20021222035019I

(-23) It is the opinion of the tandem system manufacturer that this incident was caused by a premature deployment of the drogue as the tandem pair left the aircraft. The premature deployment was most likely caused by the drogue snagging on a seat belt attach point as the parachutist in command slid on the floor of the aircraft, in a seated position, toward the door of the aircraft. Once the tandem pair exited, the drogue bridle wrapped several times around the parachutist in commands left leg before the parachutist in command could gain stability. This resulted in a situation where the drogue could not be released, even though both drogue release handles were pulled. It also resulted in an uncontrollable spin that, when the reserve ripcord was pulled, caused the reserve freebag bridle to wrap around the drogue bridal which also prevented reserved deployment. The FAA concurs with this synopsis. The automatice activation device (aad) was sent to the manufacturer for examination and was found to have operated correctly. The only eyewitness to this incident was the pilot who stated "I heard a funny noise like fabric rubbing against itself and noticed something white in the door which went under the tail". "I observed the tandem pair as they left the aircraft and while in freefall, all of which looked abnormal. Instead of doing just one turn to watch the jumpers I did approximately four turns." Post incident examination of the tandem system showed that there was a white drogue installed and that there was some other white material in the tandem system which included the main and reserve parachute suspension lines, the reserve freebag, and the reserve pilot chute bridle. The reserve parachute had been manually deployed when the aad activated as evidenced by the reserve closing loop having not been cut. Names of jumpers: Mr. John greg hunter, age 44, ms margaret jean thomas, age 18; experience and training of jumper (parachutist in command): 4,285 jumps. Current with regards to the tandem system used. Club affiliation: worked and jumped with a non-uspa organization named "drop zone". Mr. Hunter was a current uspa member #37243. Description of the parachutes and their packing records: main - performance designs VS-384, last packed 12/10/02, s/n illegible, black and green canopy. Reserve - performance designs VR-360, last packed 10/10/02, s/n 003467, yellow canopy, red pilot chute. Harness and container - the uninsured relative workshop, inc. tandem vector ii, size TV-13, s/n 34474. An airtec tandem cypres aad was installed - s/n 114127665DC922 5T, mfg. 7/02, batteries mf. 6/02.