What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Three skydivers exited the aircraft and successfully conducted a freefall formation. Statements made by two jumpers indicate that after the formation all three jumpers successfully deployed their main canopies and were maneuvering at approximately 1,100 feet AGL.
The canopies were flying approach to landing jumper "a" above the other two suddenly made a turn and descended at a high rate of speed when he forcefully impacted with one of the other jumpers (jumper "b"). Both jumpers? Canopies became entangled and began a spinning down plane descent.
Jumper "b" called out to jumper "a" to ?cut away? (Release the main canopy to disengage from each other).
When the jumper "a" did not respond, jumper "b" performed a cut-away and was able to successfully deploy his reserve canopy. Once under a good reserve canopy jumper "b" was able to observe jumper "a" descending to the west under his main canopy.
Shortly after jumper "b" cut-away from the entanglement his main canopy untangled from jumper "a" and fell straight down and drifted away.
A brief video footage was discovered which caught the last moment of canopy entanglement and subsequent cut-away verified that jumper "a" continued to descend on a straight forward flight path under a fully deployed main canopy until he hit the ground.
Several witnesses on the ground noted that jumper "a" did not appear to be conscious during his descent after the collision.
Personnel who went out to pick up jumper "a" after his landing found that he was laying on his side with his head turned, and had no heartbeat. Emergency response personnel determined he was deceased at the site.
Jumper "b" was able to land successfully under his reserve canopy and suffered only abrasions and contusions to his lower legs. He did not require medical attention.
As the FAA filed it
THREE SKYDIVERS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCTED A FREEFALL FORMATION. STATEMENTS MADE BY TWO JUMPERS INDICATE THAT AFTER THE FORMATION ALL THREE JUMPERS SUCCESSFULLY DEPLOYED THEIR MAIN CANOPIES AND WERE MANEUVERING AT APPROXIMATELY 1,100 FEET AGL.
THE CANOPIES WERE FLYING APPROACH TO LANDING JUMPER "A" ABOVE THE OTHER TWO SUDDENLY MADE A TURN AND DESCENDED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WHEN HE FORCEFULLY IMPACTED WITH ONE OF THE OTHER JUMPERS (JUMPER "B"). BOTH JUMPERS? CANOPIES BECAME ENTANGLED AND BEGAN A SPINNING DOWN PLANE DESCENT.
JUMPER "B" CALLED OUT TO JUMPER "A" TO ?CUT AWAY? (RELEASE THE MAIN CANOPY TO DISENGAGE FROM EACH OTHER).
WHEN THE JUMPER "A" DID NOT RESPOND, JUMPER "B" PERFORMED A CUT-AWAY AND WAS ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY DEPLOY HIS RESERVE CANOPY. ONCE UNDER A GOOD RESERVE CANOPY JUMPER "B" WAS ABLE TO OBSERVE JUMPER "A" DESCENDING TO THE WEST UNDER HIS MAIN CANOPY.
SHORTLY AFTER JUMPER "B" CUT-AWAY FROM THE ENTANGLEMENT HIS MAIN CANOPY UNTANGLED FROM JUMPER "A" AND FELL STRAIGHT DOWN AND DRIFTED AWAY.
A BRIEF VIDEO FOOTAGE WAS DISCOVERED WHICH CAUGHT THE LAST MOMENT OF CANOPY ENTANGLEMENT AND SUBSEQUENT CUT-AWAY VERIFIED THAT JUMPER "A" CONTINUED TO DESCEND ON A STRAIGHT FORWARD FLIGHT PATH UNDER A FULLY DEPLOYED MAIN CANOPY UNTIL HE HIT THE GROUND.
SEVERAL WITNESSES ON THE GROUND NOTED THAT JUMPER "A" DID NOT APPEAR TO BE CONSCIOUS DURING HIS DESCENT AFTER THE COLLISION.
PERSONNEL WHO WENT OUT TO PICK UP JUMPER "A" AFTER HIS LANDING FOUND THAT HE WAS LAYING ON HIS SIDE WITH HIS HEAD TURNED, AND HAD NO HEARTBEAT. EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONNEL DETERMINED HE WAS DECEASED AT THE SITE.
JUMPER "B" WAS ABLE TO LAND SUCCESSFULLY UNDER HIS RESERVE CANOPY AND SUFFERED ONLY ABRASIONS AND CONTUSIONS TO HIS LOWER LEGS. HE DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION.
Other reports on N41LH · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.