What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Fatal skydive incident at Pepperell skydive center. Parachutist identified as richard smith, 30 + years experienced skydiver. Working as a contract videographer/photographer for the Pepperell skydive center. Witnesses stated they heard his chute open as a ?hard opening?. He immediately started a spin numerous times to the right. The main chute was cut away, 2-3 seconds later the pilot chute for the reserve chute was deployed and the reserve started to deploy. The reserve chute never fully deployed and the skydiver impacted the ground suffering fatal injuries. The impact area was on the Pepperell skydive center grounds in a gravel area off the end of the runway 6. The main chute was recovered in a wooded area nearby the field.
Results of inspection of the harness, main, and reserve chutes:
Main parachute: triathlon tr 175 s/n: 175-12380 dom: 3/2/2016 packed by privacy data omitted non certificated rigger on 10-28-2017.
No defects or abnormalities observed on any panels
No defects on risers or closing loops
No damage to slider, it was not stowed/ in down position
Both brakes stowed
No evidence of ?hard opening?
Reserve parachute: javelin pd PR176 s/n:054747 packed by certified rigger privacy data omitted on 8/2017
Reserve parachute was partially deployed from bag; no defects were noted on any visible portion of the canopy
Pilot chute had deployed, visual inspection showed no signs of any defects.
Aad vigil pro model s/n: 47539 was activated, verified by visual inspection. The device was sent to vigil america to attempt data retrieval from the device. The device was severely damaged; the data from the incident jump was unable to be recovered.
As the FAA filed it
FATAL SKYDIVE INCIDENT AT PEPPERELL SKYDIVE CENTER. PARACHUTIST IDENTIFIED AS RICHARD SMITH, 30 + YEARS EXPERIENCED SKYDIVER. WORKING AS A CONTRACT VIDEOGRAPHER/PHOTOGRAPHER FOR THE PEPPERELL SKYDIVE CENTER. WITNESSES STATED THEY HEARD HIS CHUTE OPEN AS A ?HARD OPENING?. HE IMMEDIATELY STARTED A SPIN NUMEROUS TIMES TO THE RIGHT. THE MAIN CHUTE WAS CUT AWAY, 2-3 SECONDS LATER THE PILOT CHUTE FOR THE RESERVE CHUTE WAS DEPLOYED AND THE RESERVE STARTED TO DEPLOY. THE RESERVE CHUTE NEVER FULLY DEPLOYED AND THE SKYDIVER IMPACTED THE GROUND SUFFERING FATAL INJURIES. THE IMPACT AREA WAS ON THE PEPPERELL SKYDIVE CENTER GROUNDS IN A GRAVEL AREA OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY 6. THE MAIN CHUTE WAS RECOVERED IN A WOODED AREA NEARBY THE FIELD.
RESULTS OF INSPECTION OF THE HARNESS, MAIN, AND RESERVE CHUTES:
MAIN PARACHUTE: TRIATHLON TR 175 S/N: 175-12380 DOM: 3/2/2016 PACKED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ NON CERTIFICATED RIGGER ON 10-28-2017.
NO DEFECTS OR ABNORMALITIES OBSERVED ON ANY PANELS
NO DEFECTS ON RISERS OR CLOSING LOOPS
NO DAMAGE TO SLIDER, IT WAS NOT STOWED/ IN DOWN POSITION
BOTH BRAKES STOWED
NO EVIDENCE OF ?HARD OPENING?
RESERVE PARACHUTE: JAVELIN PD PR176 S/N:054747 PACKED BY CERTIFIED RIGGER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ON 8/2017
RESERVE PARACHUTE WAS PARTIALLY DEPLOYED FROM BAG; NO DEFECTS WERE NOTED ON ANY VISIBLE PORTION OF THE CANOPY
PILOT CHUTE HAD DEPLOYED, VISUAL INSPECTION SHOWED NO SIGNS OF ANY DEFECTS.
AAD VIGIL PRO MODEL S/N: 47539 WAS ACTIVATED, VERIFIED BY VISUAL INSPECTION. THE DEVICE WAS SENT TO VIGIL AMERICA TO ATTEMPT DATA RETRIEVAL FROM THE DEVICE. THE DEVICE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED; THE DATA FROM THE INCIDENT JUMP WAS UNABLE TO BE RECOVERED.
Other reports on N202EH · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.