What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While involved in skydiving event at Eloy, AZ on dec. 30, 2006 a low level midair collision occurred between two experienced parachutists while under fully deployed canopies. The collision occurred after both parachutists had successfully completed freefall and were readying to land under their parachutes. The collision involved privacy data omitted who had 4150+ jumps and was jumping a pd velocity 96 canopy. Calculations of his weight to canopy size equalled 2.1 wing load. privacy data omitted Was the second parachutist involved, he had 3000+ jumps & was jumping a spectre 107 canopy. Calculations of his weight to canopy size equalled 1.6 wing load. No one in the dropzone area observed the collision. Inspection of both jumper's equipment revealed friction burn damage to the right outboard side of privacy data omitted canopy and lines; and friction burn damage to privacy data omitted canopy lines. This physical evidence and a statement made to investigators at the scene by privacy data omitted indicates that he was approaching the landing zone from a right hand base position. At less than 300 feet AGL he executed a left hand 270 degree turn to final. privacy data omitted Was approaching the landing zone from the left. He was below privacy data omitted in a left hand base turn to final. privacy data omitted Canopy had a higher rate of descent caused by the previously mentioned 270 degree turn when their glide paths intersected. privacy data omitted Struck privacy data omitted canopy from above, on the right hand side, with the side of his body. He penetrated thru the line set of privacy data omitted main canopy causing it to wrap around his body. As the canopy wrap developed, privacy data omitted body was pulled away from privacy data omitted canopy by the forces of his own inflated spinning main canopy. privacy data omitted Deployed his reserve parachute without cutting his main canopy away and was able to land under his partially inflated main and reserve canopies. privacy data omitted Landed hard on his back and sustained damage to his lower back and shoulder. Severe damage was done to privacy data omitted canopy when it was struck by privacy data omitted; it did not remain inflated. privacy data omitted Did deploy his reserve canopy without cutting his main canopy away. However, there was insufficient time for the reserve to inflate before he hit the ground. privacy data omitted Hit the ground with sufficient force to cause his death.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE INVOLVED IN SKYDIVING EVENT AT ELOY, AZ ON DEC. 30, 2006 A LOW LEVEL MIDAIR COLLISION OCCURRED BETWEEN TWO EXPERIENCED PARACHUTISTS WHILE UNDER FULLY DEPLOYED CANOPIES. THE COLLISION OCCURRED AFTER BOTH PARACHUTISTS HAD SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED FREEFALL AND WERE READYING TO LAND UNDER THEIR PARACHUTES. THE COLLISION INVOLVED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WHO HAD 4150+ JUMPS AND WAS JUMPING A PD VELOCITY 96 CANOPY. CALCULATIONS OF HIS WEIGHT TO CANOPY SIZE EQUALLED 2.1 WING LOAD. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS THE SECOND PARACHUTIST INVOLVED, HE HAD 3000+ JUMPS & WAS JUMPING A SPECTRE 107 CANOPY. CALCULATIONS OF HIS WEIGHT TO CANOPY SIZE EQUALLED 1.6 WING LOAD. NO ONE IN THE DROPZONE AREA OBSERVED THE COLLISION. INSPECTION OF BOTH JUMPER'S EQUIPMENT REVEALED FRICTION BURN DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT OUTBOARD SIDE OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CANOPY AND LINES; AND FRICTION BURN DAMAGE TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CANOPY LINES. THIS PHYSICAL EVIDENCE AND A STATEMENT MADE TO INVESTIGATORS AT THE SCENE BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ INDICATES THAT HE WAS APPROACHING THE LANDING ZONE FROM A RIGHT HAND BASE POSITION. AT LESS THAN 300 FEET AGL HE EXECUTED A LEFT HAND 270 DEGREE TURN TO FINAL. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS APPROACHING THE LANDING ZONE FROM THE LEFT. HE WAS BELOW ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IN A LEFT HAND BASE TURN TO FINAL. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CANOPY HAD A HIGHER RATE OF DESCENT CAUSED BY THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED 270 DEGREE TURN WHEN THEIR GLIDE PATHS INTERSECTED. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STRUCK ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CANOPY FROM ABOVE, ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, WITH THE SIDE OF HIS BODY. HE PENETRATED THRU THE LINE SET OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MAIN CANOPY CAUSING IT TO WRAP AROUND HIS BODY. AS THE CANOPY WRAP DEVELOPED, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ BODY WAS PULLED AWAY FROM ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CANOPY BY THE FORCES OF HIS OWN INFLATED SPINNING MAIN CANOPY. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPLOYED HIS RESERVE PARACHUTE WITHOUT CUTTING HIS MAIN CANOPY AWAY AND WAS ABLE TO LAND UNDER HIS PARTIALLY INFLATED MAIN AND RESERVE CANOPIES. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ LANDED HARD ON HIS BACK AND SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO HIS LOWER BACK AND SHOULDER. SEVERE DAMAGE WAS DONE TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CANOPY WHEN IT WAS STRUCK BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^; IT DID NOT REMAIN INFLATED. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DID DEPLOY HIS RESERVE CANOPY WITHOUT CUTTING HIS MAIN CANOPY AWAY. HOWEVER, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME FOR THE RESERVE TO INFLATE BEFORE HE HIT THE GROUND. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HIT THE GROUND WITH SUFFICIENT FORCE TO CAUSE HIS DEATH.
Other reports on N28LH · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.