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.
Skydiver had completed successful freefall and was descending under a fully deployed canopy. After maneuvering the canopy to a point which was east of the landing area the jumper began a steep turn to the right at a height less then 100 feet and barely cleared a wood barrier onto the northern landing zone. The steep turn was initiated and the jumper never recovered from the turn or attempted to slow his descent by flaring when he impacted the ground face down and slid approximately 30 feet forward. The jumper was airlifted to the phoenix maricopa medical center and died of related injuries on 11/10/2008. The jumper was using a saber 2, 150 sq. Ft. canopy. He had 285 jumps when he arrived at Eloy on 11/05/2008. This office was notified of the incident by the dropzone; and was only made aware of the jumper’s death by the local police department when they requested assistance with the equipment used by the jumper.
As the FAA filed it
SKYDIVER HAD COMPLETED SUCCESSFUL FREEFALL AND WAS DESCENDING UNDER A FULLY DEPLOYED CANOPY. AFTER MANEUVERING THE CANOPY TO A POINT WHICH WAS EAST OF THE LANDING AREA THE JUMPER BEGAN A STEEP TURN TO THE RIGHT AT A HEIGHT LESS THEN 100 FEET AND BARELY CLEARED A WOOD BARRIER ONTO THE NORTHERN LANDING ZONE. THE STEEP TURN WAS INITIATED AND THE JUMPER NEVER RECOVERED FROM THE TURN OR ATTEMPTED TO SLOW HIS DESCENT BY FLARING WHEN HE IMPACTED THE GROUND FACE DOWN AND SLID APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET FORWARD. THE JUMPER WAS AIRLIFTED TO THE PHOENIX MARICOPA MEDICAL CENTER AND DIED OF RELATED INJURIES ON 11/10/2008. THE JUMPER WAS USING A SABER 2, 150 SQ. FT. CANOPY. HE HAD 285 JUMPS WHEN HE ARRIVED AT ELOY ON 11/05/2008. THIS OFFICE WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT BY THE DROPZONE; AND WAS ONLY MADE AWARE OF THE JUMPER’S DEATH BY THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT WHEN THEY REQUESTED ASSISTANCE WITH THE EQUIPMENT USED BY THE JUMPER.
Other reports on N924MA · 7
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.