What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The jumper was participating in an 88 person skydiving formation jump. He had been observed by other jumpers who stated he was in control and flying as normal. After the formation broke up the jumper activated his main canopy and was observed by nearby jumpers to be descending under a partially inflated main canopy with line twists. Observers stated they saw the canopy spinning and there was no attempt by the jumper to react to the spinning canopy or to attempt any type of emergency procedures. He was observed to be slumped in his harness with his arms hanging down to his sides and head down thru out the descent.
The jumper impacted the earth while still in a spin and was determined to be deceased by first responders to the scene.
The jumper had just over 5570 jumps and had been jumping for 27 years.
He was wearing the following equipment:
Harness & container: rigging innovations fx
Main canopy: performance design saber 2 (150 sq ft canopy)
Reserve canopy: precision raven 2 (188 sq ft canopy)
Aad equipment: vigil 2 (manufactured X/20XX, 4 year maintenance due 1/20XX)
Altimeter: optima (audible altimeter)
The jumper was experienced and was current with over 100 jumps within the past year. His waiver stated that he had experienced 5 malfunctions during his jump history.
Examination of the equipment listed above did not reveal any anomalies or evidence of a hard opening. The aad and altimeter are being sent to the manufacturer for analysis.
Awaiting coroner?s report to determine whether there were any medical indications of consciousness prior to impact.
As the FAA filed it
THE JUMPER WAS PARTICIPATING IN AN 88 PERSON SKYDIVING FORMATION JUMP. HE HAD BEEN OBSERVED BY OTHER JUMPERS WHO STATED HE WAS IN CONTROL AND FLYING AS NORMAL. AFTER THE FORMATION BROKE UP THE JUMPER ACTIVATED HIS MAIN CANOPY AND WAS OBSERVED BY NEARBY JUMPERS TO BE DESCENDING UNDER A PARTIALLY INFLATED MAIN CANOPY WITH LINE TWISTS. OBSERVERS STATED THEY SAW THE CANOPY SPINNING AND THERE WAS NO ATTEMPT BY THE JUMPER TO REACT TO THE SPINNING CANOPY OR TO ATTEMPT ANY TYPE OF EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. HE WAS OBSERVED TO BE SLUMPED IN HIS HARNESS WITH HIS ARMS HANGING DOWN TO HIS SIDES AND HEAD DOWN THRU OUT THE DESCENT.
THE JUMPER IMPACTED THE EARTH WHILE STILL IN A SPIN AND WAS DETERMINED TO BE DECEASED BY FIRST RESPONDERS TO THE SCENE.
THE JUMPER HAD JUST OVER 5570 JUMPS AND HAD BEEN JUMPING FOR 27 YEARS.
HE WAS WEARING THE FOLLOWING EQUIPMENT:
HARNESS & CONTAINER: RIGGING INNOVATIONS FX
MAIN CANOPY: PERFORMANCE DESIGN SABER 2 (150 SQ FT CANOPY)
RESERVE CANOPY: PRECISION RAVEN 2 (188 SQ FT CANOPY)
AAD EQUIPMENT: VIGIL 2 (MANUFACTURED X/20XX, 4 YEAR MAINTENANCE DUE 1/20XX)
ALTIMETER: OPTIMA (AUDIBLE ALTIMETER)
THE JUMPER WAS EXPERIENCED AND WAS CURRENT WITH OVER 100 JUMPS WITHIN THE PAST YEAR. HIS WAIVER STATED THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCED 5 MALFUNCTIONS DURING HIS JUMP HISTORY.
EXAMINATION OF THE EQUIPMENT LISTED ABOVE DID NOT REVEAL ANY ANOMALIES OR EVIDENCE OF A HARD OPENING. THE AAD AND ALTIMETER ARE BEING SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR ANALYSIS.
AWAITING CORONER?S REPORT TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE WERE ANY MEDICAL INDICATIONS OF CONSCIOUSNESS PRIOR TO IMPACT.
Other reports on N28LH · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.