What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Michael collins parachuted out of a skydive chicago aircraft on 10/23/2016 at an altitude of approximately 14,000 feet. He deployed his chute around 4,000 feet and it was fully inflated at 3,000 feet. He was last seen around 400 feet and about 1/2 mile southeast of the landing zone. The jump plane flew over the area that Mr. Collins landed. At that time it appeared that Mr. Collins struck a utility sign and his chute was entangled in it and he was suspended from the ground by his chute. An employee from skydive chicago then boarded the jump plane and parachuted into the area where Mr. Collins was located. It was determined that he was severely injured, in shock and needed medical attention. An air ambulance was dispatched to the area. Mr collins was alert and aware of his surrounding at the time he was loaded into the air ambulance. Shortly after arrival at a level 1 trauma unit, he was pronounced dead.
Mr. Collins had over 166 jumps with skydive chicago. There was no club affiliation that the FAA is aware of. The
Main parachute was a performance design saber 2, p/n SA02, s/n SA210011142 and date of manufacture was 12/2008. Overall the parachute was in good condition and was the right canopy for this level of jumper. The back up was not used. It was also in good condition and packing records were current and up to date.
Weather conditions were clear with gusty winds from the southwest gusting up to 12 KTS.
As the FAA filed it
MICHAEL COLLINS PARACHUTED OUT OF A SKYDIVE CHICAGO AIRCRAFT ON 10/23/2016 AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 14,000 FEET. HE DEPLOYED HIS CHUTE AROUND 4,000 FEET AND IT WAS FULLY INFLATED AT 3,000 FEET. HE WAS LAST SEEN AROUND 400 FEET AND ABOUT 1/2 MILE SOUTHEAST OF THE LANDING ZONE. THE JUMP PLANE FLEW OVER THE AREA THAT MR. COLLINS LANDED. AT THAT TIME IT APPEARED THAT MR. COLLINS STRUCK A UTILITY SIGN AND HIS CHUTE WAS ENTANGLED IN IT AND HE WAS SUSPENDED FROM THE GROUND BY HIS CHUTE. AN EMPLOYEE FROM SKYDIVE CHICAGO THEN BOARDED THE JUMP PLANE AND PARACHUTED INTO THE AREA WHERE MR. COLLINS WAS LOCATED. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT HE WAS SEVERELY INJURED, IN SHOCK AND NEEDED MEDICAL ATTENTION. AN AIR AMBULANCE WAS DISPATCHED TO THE AREA. MR COLLINS WAS ALERT AND AWARE OF HIS SURROUNDING AT THE TIME HE WAS LOADED INTO THE AIR AMBULANCE. SHORTLY AFTER ARRIVAL AT A LEVEL 1 TRAUMA UNIT, HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD.
MR. COLLINS HAD OVER 166 JUMPS WITH SKYDIVE CHICAGO. THERE WAS NO CLUB AFFILIATION THAT THE FAA IS AWARE OF. THE
MAIN PARACHUTE WAS A PERFORMANCE DESIGN SABER 2, P/N SA02, S/N SA210011142 AND DATE OF MANUFACTURE WAS 12/2008. OVERALL THE PARACHUTE WAS IN GOOD CONDITION AND WAS THE RIGHT CANOPY FOR THIS LEVEL OF JUMPER. THE BACK UP WAS NOT USED. IT WAS ALSO IN GOOD CONDITION AND PACKING RECORDS WERE CURRENT AND UP TO DATE.
WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR WITH GUSTY WINDS FROM THE SOUTHWEST GUSTING UP TO 12 KTS.