What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Karthik balakrishnan was making his first solo freefall (AFP-1). He had performed 2 tandem jumps and attended advanced freefall training in 2010 at Skydive Chicago. He attended a refresher training course at Skydive Chicago in April 2011. The equipment consisted of the following:vector se V353 harness container systems/n 41747, dom 21 apr 2005PERFORMANCE designs reserve, s/n PR193-021048, dom dec 1999CYPRES automatic activation device, expert 1 pin models/n 1130A6635FCB22 3X, dom jun 1999,last factory service 2007, last battery change sep 2010PERFORMANCE designs sabre 2 main canopy,s/n SA210-000010, dom jul 2001THE main chute had been packed by a senior rigger on 19 March 2011. The reserve chute had been packed by a master rigger on 9 March 2011. Mr. Balikrishnan was last seen in an agressive spin that started from an approximate altitude of 800 feet and resulted in a high speed impact. The jumper had been seen spiraling in one direction for 2 to 3 turns while at a higher altitude, but then flew straight and level. Eyewitness reports that the jumper had been in level flight on at least two occasions during descent. The main parachute was found fully deployed, with no damage or entanglements. The reserve chute controls showed no signs of attempted use. The left steering toggle had not been released, while the right steering toggle had. Post-accident testing showed that the left steering toggle released with approximately 10 pounds of force, which is in normal range. There is no indication why the left steering toggle was not used.
As the FAA filed it
KARTHIK BALAKRISHNAN WAS MAKING HIS FIRST SOLO FREEFALL (AFP-1). HE HAD PERFORMED 2 TANDEM JUMPS AND ATTENDED ADVANCED FREEFALL TRAINING IN 2010 AT SKYDIVE CHICAGO. HE ATTENDED A REFRESHER TRAINING COURSE AT SKYDIVE CHICAGO IN APRIL 2011. THE EQUIPMENT CONSISTED OF THE FOLLOWING:VECTOR SE V353 HARNESS CONTAINER SYSTEMS/N 41747, DOM 21 APR 2005PERFORMANCE DESIGNS RESERVE, S/N PR193-021048, DOM DEC 1999CYPRES AUTOMATIC ACTIVATION DEVICE, EXPERT 1 PIN MODELS/N 1130A6635FCB22 3X, DOM JUN 1999,LAST FACTORY SERVICE 2007, LAST BATTERY CHANGE SEP 2010PERFORMANCE DESIGNS SABRE 2 MAIN CANOPY,S/N SA210-000010, DOM JUL 2001THE MAIN CHUTE HAD BEEN PACKED BY A SENIOR RIGGER ON 19 MARCH 2011. THE RESERVE CHUTE HAD BEEN PACKED BY A MASTER RIGGER ON 9 MARCH 2011. MR. BALIKRISHNAN WAS LAST SEEN IN AN AGRESSIVE SPIN THAT STARTED FROM AN APPROXIMATE ALTITUDE OF 800 FEET AND RESULTED IN A HIGH SPEED IMPACT. THE JUMPER HAD BEEN SEEN SPIRALING IN ONE DIRECTION FOR 2 TO 3 TURNS WHILE AT A HIGHER ALTITUDE, BUT THEN FLEW STRAIGHT AND LEVEL. EYEWITNESS REPORTS THAT THE JUMPER HAD BEEN IN LEVEL FLIGHT ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS DURING DESCENT. THE MAIN PARACHUTE WAS FOUND FULLY DEPLOYED, WITH NO DAMAGE OR ENTANGLEMENTS. THE RESERVE CHUTE CONTROLS SHOWED NO SIGNS OF ATTEMPTED USE. THE LEFT STEERING TOGGLE HAD NOT BEEN RELEASED, WHILE THE RIGHT STEERING TOGGLE HAD. POST-ACCIDENT TESTING SHOWED THAT THE LEFT STEERING TOGGLE RELEASED WITH APPROXIMATELY 10 POUNDS OF FORCE, WHICH IS IN NORMAL RANGE. THERE IS NO INDICATION WHY THE LEFT STEERING TOGGLE WAS NOT USED.