What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Fatal skydive incident operating out of skydive cross keys, Williamstown, NJ. Parachutist identified as paul haaf, 54 years old, and had record over 1200 jumps. A group of 4 jumpers departed the aircraft at 13,500 feet, deploying the main chutes within seconds of departure. The fatality was the second to depart the aircraft. The 3rd jumper witness the flight of the second and stated it was not a stable deployment and the chute was spinning. Gopro video supports an awkward departure from the aircraft by the parachutist and the main chute suspension lines twisted. Additionally, the parachutist was in a counterclockwise spin. The main chute was cutaway at approximately 4000 feet. Reserve parachute was manually deployed; however, this appears to have happened at a very low altitude making the reserve chute ineffective. An automatic activation device (aad) was installed with the reserve closing loop correctly routed thru the cutter. Aad and the alti-2 N3 altimeter was sent to the manufacturer?s to determine operation. The skydiver landed in a residential area approximately 1.25 miles from cross keys airport at the intersection of baywood drive and brookdale blvds, monroe township, NJ.
The following equipment was inspected:
Javelin harness/container J3 s/n 21040, container found in good condition; however, main container compartment was cover with tape(duct).
Reserve chute tempo 170, s/n 220673, date of manufacture 06MAY2001, part number pi 142-00. Last inspection and packing by master parachute rigger on February 8, 2019. Left suspension lines and right risers were cut by the medical examiner office, no other damage noted. No damage to panels or slider, both steering/brake handles were stowed.
Automatic activation device, vigil ii aad, s/n 15263
Alti-2 N3 altimaster altimeter p/n FD-02113, s/n T152215
Main chute aerodyne pilot 7, PT7-147, s/n PT7-12472, date of manufacture 10MAY2018. Chute was recovered in a field approximately 1 mile from impact. No defects noted with canopy, suspension lines, risers, slider and pilot chute. Left steering/brake handle was stowed.
As the FAA filed it
FATAL SKYDIVE INCIDENT OPERATING OUT OF SKYDIVE CROSS KEYS, WILLIAMSTOWN, NJ. PARACHUTIST IDENTIFIED AS PAUL HAAF, 54 YEARS OLD, AND HAD RECORD OVER 1200 JUMPS. A GROUP OF 4 JUMPERS DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT AT 13,500 FEET, DEPLOYING THE MAIN CHUTES WITHIN SECONDS OF DEPARTURE. THE FATALITY WAS THE SECOND TO DEPART THE AIRCRAFT. THE 3RD JUMPER WITNESS THE FLIGHT OF THE SECOND AND STATED IT WAS NOT A STABLE DEPLOYMENT AND THE CHUTE WAS SPINNING. GOPRO VIDEO SUPPORTS AN AWKWARD DEPARTURE FROM THE AIRCRAFT BY THE PARACHUTIST AND THE MAIN CHUTE SUSPENSION LINES TWISTED. ADDITIONALLY, THE PARACHUTIST WAS IN A COUNTERCLOCKWISE SPIN. THE MAIN CHUTE WAS CUTAWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 4000 FEET. RESERVE PARACHUTE WAS MANUALLY DEPLOYED; HOWEVER, THIS APPEARS TO HAVE HAPPENED AT A VERY LOW ALTITUDE MAKING THE RESERVE CHUTE INEFFECTIVE. AN AUTOMATIC ACTIVATION DEVICE (AAD) WAS INSTALLED WITH THE RESERVE CLOSING LOOP CORRECTLY ROUTED THRU THE CUTTER. AAD AND THE ALTI-2 N3 ALTIMETER WAS SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER?S TO DETERMINE OPERATION. THE SKYDIVER LANDED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA APPROXIMATELY 1.25 MILES FROM CROSS KEYS AIRPORT AT THE INTERSECTION OF BAYWOOD DRIVE AND BROOKDALE BLVDS, MONROE TOWNSHIP, NJ.
THE FOLLOWING EQUIPMENT WAS INSPECTED:
JAVELIN HARNESS/CONTAINER J3 S/N 21040, CONTAINER FOUND IN GOOD CONDITION; HOWEVER, MAIN CONTAINER COMPARTMENT WAS COVER WITH TAPE(DUCT).
RESERVE CHUTE TEMPO 170, S/N 220673, DATE OF MANUFACTURE 06MAY2001, PART NUMBER PI 142-00. LAST INSPECTION AND PACKING BY MASTER PARACHUTE RIGGER ON FEBRUARY 8, 2019. LEFT SUSPENSION LINES AND RIGHT RISERS WERE CUT BY THE MEDICAL EXAMINER OFFICE, NO OTHER DAMAGE NOTED. NO DAMAGE TO PANELS OR SLIDER, BOTH STEERING/BRAKE HANDLES WERE STOWED.
AUTOMATIC ACTIVATION DEVICE, VIGIL II AAD, S/N 15263
ALTI-2 N3 ALTIMASTER ALTIMETER P/N FD-02113, S/N T152215
MAIN CHUTE AERODYNE PILOT 7, PT7-147, S/N PT7-12472, DATE OF MANUFACTURE 10MAY2018. CHUTE WAS RECOVERED IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE FROM IMPACT. NO DEFECTS NOTED WITH CANOPY, SUSPENSION LINES, RISERS, SLIDER AND PILOT CHUTE. LEFT STEERING/BRAKE HANDLE WAS STOWED.