What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Skydiver privacy data omitted attempted to release his main parachute after experiencing a malfunction. The left main riser failed to release before the reserve canopy began to deploy resulting in a main/reserve entanglement. Witness observed jumper finally releasing left riser at approximately 300 ft. AGL and sustaining fatal injuries on impact with ground. Attempts to revive him by EMT personnel were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at the scene by a MD. Reserve canopy a performance design PR-126 s/n 031291 was packed on 01-18-2005 by a certified rigger. Expert cypres 2, s/n 06416 dom 3/04 did not activate and loop was not cut. The reserve ripcord and cutaway handle were located within 20 feet from the body. When the cutaway (main canopy release) handle was later reinstalled, the left side was 8 3/4" from the housing end to the end of the cable on the left side and 6" on the right side with no tension. Under tension the left side was 7-5/8 and the right was 6". The reserve static line (rsl) was removed on 06-13-2004 by a rigger. (-23 amendment) skydiver privacy data omitted experienced malfunction of main pa rachute, a performance designs spectre 135. Witnesses saw the jumpers main chute in an unrecoverable tangle. Jumper initiated emergency procedures, and deployed reserve parachute, a performance designs 126. The reserve chute entangled with the main. The jumper was pronounced dead on scene. During a follow up investigation a load was applied to the risers and they functioned normally. However the length of the riser release cables was inconsistent with the manufacturers instructions and the rsl (reserve static line) had been previously removed contrary to the manufacturers instructions.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) SKYDIVER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ATTEMPTED TO RELEASE HIS MAIN PARACHUTE AFTER EXPERIENCING A MALFUNCTION. THE LEFT MAIN RISER FAILED TO RELEASE BEFORE THE RESERVE CANOPY BEGAN TO DEPLOY RESULTING IN A MAIN/RESERVE ENTANGLEMENT. WITNESS OBSERVED JUMPER FINALLY RELEASING LEFT RISER AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FT. AGL AND SUSTAINING FATAL INJURIES ON IMPACT WITH GROUND. ATTEMPTS TO REVIVE HIM BY EMT PERSONNEL WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE BY A MD. RESERVE CANOPY A PERFORMANCE DESIGN PR-126 S/N 031291 WAS PACKED ON 01-18-2005 BY A CERTIFIED RIGGER. EXPERT CYPRES 2, S/N 06416 DOM 3/04 DID NOT ACTIVATE AND LOOP WAS NOT CUT. THE RESERVE RIPCORD AND CUTAWAY HANDLE WERE LOCATED WITHIN 20 FEET FROM THE BODY. WHEN THE CUTAWAY (MAIN CANOPY RELEASE) HANDLE WAS LATER REINSTALLED, THE LEFT SIDE WAS 8 3/4" FROM THE HOUSING END TO THE END OF THE CABLE ON THE LEFT SIDE AND 6" ON THE RIGHT SIDE WITH NO TENSION. UNDER TENSION THE LEFT SIDE WAS 7-5/8 AND THE RIGHT WAS 6". THE RESERVE STATIC LINE (RSL) WAS REMOVED ON 06-13-2004 BY A RIGGER. (-23 AMENDMENT) SKYDIVER ^PRIVACY DATA ^ EXPERIENCED MALFUNCTION OF MAIN PA RACHUTE, A PERFORMANCE DESIGNS SPECTRE 135. WITNESSES SAW THE JUMPERS MAIN CHUTE IN AN UNRECOVERABLE TANGLE. JUMPER INITIATED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, AND DEPLOYED RESERVE PARACHUTE, A PERFORMANCE DESIGNS 126. THE RESERVE CHUTE ENTANGLED WITH THE MAIN. THE JUMPER WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD ON SCENE. DURING A FOLLOW UP INVESTIGATION A LOAD WAS APPLIED TO THE RISERS AND THEY FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. HOWEVER THE LENGTH OF THE RISER RELEASE CABLES WAS INCONSISTENT WITH THE MANUFACTURERS INSTRUCTIONS AND THE RSL (RESERVE STATIC LINE) HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REMOVED CONTRARY TO THE MANUFACTURERS INSTRUCTIONS.
Other reports on N228YK · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.