chronistin 0 #1 September 10, 2002 Last Sunday on our dropzone, a tandem passenger went unconscious in the air. The tandem master did a great job on that landing with her feet dangling down, looked a little messy but no one got hurt. We had a doctor on the spot, so the passenger was quickly taken care of. She walked away on her own feet after about 20 minutes. So, all's well that ends well, but it somehow got me thinking. How often do things like that happen? How dangerous is it for the tandem master & the passenger? Later we learned that she had never really wanted to jump but had been talked into it by friends. but she never said so (she had even answered yes to the question "do you want to jump?" just seconds prior to exit). Bad Judgement? Bad Luck? Just one of those things that happen occasionally? What do you think? Chronistin Chronistin (Home @ http://www.fallschirmspringer.net/) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #2 September 10, 2002 That's really not THAT big of a deal. I'm no TM but it seems like the free fall portion would be really easy compared to the concious passenger that "Dead Spiders" and fights you. You would have to be careful on the landing. A passengers feet dangling isn't a good thing but a careful TM could get it done. All the people I have ever seen pass out were on the ground. Normally they just get an andrenaline over load and when their body gets out of "Flight mode" and they know they are safe they just pass out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Craig 0 #3 September 10, 2002 Not sure, but it might have been the harness cutting off circulation and caused her to pass out. I know of that happening, at least to the point of feeling ill and dizzy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #4 September 10, 2002 That can happen especially on Strongs and the old Vector tandems if the TM tightens the upper shoulder adjustments too tightly.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chronistin 0 #5 September 10, 2002 QuoteThat's really not THAT big of a deal. Though you may be right, I've spent the better part of my last 20 Months on dropzones & never seen it happen before. Spooky thing to watch, the body like a puppet in front of the TM... Chronistin (Home @ http://www.fallschirmspringer.net/) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,120 #6 September 10, 2002 We used to have this problem with Strong rigs. One woman, an experienced jumper, had this happen on 3 consecutive tandems (she was a stand-in student for someone getting their ratings.) She would get sick and lightheaded under canopy, but be fine after a few minutes on the ground. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hooked 0 #7 September 10, 2002 Well, that's kind of scary! I presume she was young? How would an unconscious person affect the freefall part of the skydive? J -------------------------------------- Sometimes we're just being Humans.....But we're always Human Beings. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #8 September 10, 2002 QuoteHow would an unconscious person affect the freefall part of the skydive? TM's will often grab the students hands and hook their legs to correct body position and make turns easier on concious students. With an unconcious student they don't fight you...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
judedre 0 #9 September 10, 2002 waste of $160 bucks if u ask me does she get a refund? even better did she get video? would be a good one bet she had a good arch... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 4 #10 September 10, 2002 I have had two people pass out under canopy on me, but both one of them "woke up" prior to landing. Both were overweight, both complained that the legstraps were too tight when they got under canopy, but neither could manage to scoot the straps farther under their thighs of the old-style vector passenger harness and subsequently passed out. One in a turn, and one in level flight. I landed both safely and they were both fine as soon as I got the harness off of them. The one that landed passed out was not a big deal at all, since there was a breeze. I stood up the landing in the peas, then let the lady sort of fall back in my lap, lowering her down to the ground. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnnyD 0 #11 September 10, 2002 Only had one out for a second or two at the most, but it was because I knocked him out with my forehead during a very hard opening. I have seen a lot of people come down weak in the knees and fading in and out. I've never heard it was because of the harness though and all were fine within 20 minutes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LawnDart21 0 #12 September 10, 2002 Well, I just got my TM rating and only have 60-65 tandems total to date, but I already had my first "pass out" under canopy. I tell all my students on the ground prior to jumping that "the leg straps need to be snug, but not too tight, we don't want to cut off circulation to the legs". On this one jump, with a 200lb passenger, we had a normal freefall, and then under canopy things appeared fine. At 4000ft, I was pointing out the scenery to him, when his head just slumped over. I called out to him and gently raised his head up, but got nothing. He was out cold. I reached down and felt his leg straps, and they were very tight, so I loosened then an inch or so, and kept talking to him. At about 3400ft, his head popped up and he said "whoa, what happened?" I told him he took a 30 second nap, but appeared A-Okay to me. He chuckled, and said he was nausious, a bit dizzy and his vision was blurred. I had him put his feet on top of mine and wiggle himslef in the harness like a swing, to take the pressure off his legs. I had him keep his feet on top of mine until we landed, so that if he went out again, I'd know by his feet sliding off mine. He stayed awake the rest of the way, we slid in on our butts and he was fine. That was probably my 40th paid tandem. A good learning experience for me as a TM. -- My other ride is a RESERVE. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rking12 0 #13 September 10, 2002 I shoot video and in 3 years I would bet I have 10 videos of unconscious people landing. All did great in freefall but went out during canopy flight. The tandem masters did a great job of landing them and when we saw it we yelled for extra ground crew and held them up on landing until the harness was disconnected and set them down gently. Never any bad after affects... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nws01 0 #14 September 10, 2002 QuoteI already had my first "pass out" under canopy You said it! BEER! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyDekker 1,465 #15 September 10, 2002 The gentleman who started the Andem Progression program with me passed out on 4 out of 5 tries under tandem. The one time he didn't pass out was because he refused to jump in the door and they rode the plane down. Every time he would be fine during freefall, but would pass out while under canopy.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrunkMonkey 0 #16 September 10, 2002 QuoteThat can happen especially on Strongs and the old Vector tandems if the TM tightens the upper shoulder adjustments too tightly. Happened to me on my first Tandem in 1999, and almost happened when I rode as dead weight last June. Starts with a cold/numb feeling in the arms, then you lose control of your arms, unconsciousness quickly follows. Those old harnesses suck. I sure hope they've been replaced... Blue Skies, Neil Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 6 #17 September 10, 2002 We had a 47-year-old woman recently, maybe marginally conscious but sat on the ground for a while after landing. Half an hour later, she complained of chest pains, etc. and the ambulance came and took her to the hospital. She was discharged about an hour later; they called it a stress attack. She apparently had a history of susceptibility to high altitude. As suggested, the harness is frequently seen as a culprit. HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
