Viking 0 #1 March 17, 2002 I went out to the DZ today to keep current (today was day 30 ) anyway it was lightly raining when i got there but the clouds were already clearing out. well after about an hour pasing around the packing area i decided to go for a drive to waist some time. So while i am driving i come opon a Jeep Wrangler, a nice bright red one......well it was probly red b/c it was ingulfed in flames of the same color! Well being the photographer that i am i turned around and went back to the DZ and got my camera. On my way back i passed the fire engine. So by the time i get back to the scene they had already put the flames out but it was still smoldering and smoking quit alot. So i get up there get permission to take pictures from the fire cheif. Well it got VERY VERY hot!!!! the rear wheel were MELTED OFF!!! and there were several pools of melted metal of some kind under the jeep. Also the fire melted the intake, and exhuast manifolds and also melted the rear rims to nothing! It Also destroyed the battery, and warped the valve cover inwards!! The owner was out hiking and when he came back is car was on fire! shitty day for him. I gave him my name and email incase he wants copies of the pics (his kids were buggin me about it) anyway i get back to the DZ smelling of burnt car, and steam and tell my story to Bill and a few other people. Fast forward to my jump. I decided to do a hop-pop to get it out of the way. Bill decides to do the same. We get to 3 grand and get out. My exit was quit a ride. Instead of just stepping sideways and presenting into the wind i kind of did a super man sideways and got flipped i recovered in time to turn back towards the plane and see bill get out in perfect form...(SHOWOFF!! ) It was supposed to be a ten second delay but i guess i kinda freaked when i saw the ground rushing up at me and forgot the count and pulled according to Bill after about 6 seconds. I got a nice comfy opening and everything was fine until i turn on final and get no forward movment what so ever!! The winds today were pretty high. But only high enough to stop the AFF students. So i get close the ground and flare and touch down.....and then take back off again!! also moving slightly backwards. I butt bounce and then get back up and haul the main in. After i got my gear off i went and helped catch tandems for one load. Then it happened. I was standing at the bear line with bill off to my right. We were watching Steve one of the Camera guys(and one of my best friends) land. Even with the strong wind he decided to hook it. Steve has around 4900 jumps and is a very good pilot. anyway about ten feet off the ground he catchs a rotor off the trees and his canopy (Stelleto 120 i beilve) Colapsed. He hit the ground left leg first and the bounced and rolled about ten feet. Within seconds about six or seven people were around him. Bill grabed his cutaway and we helped him get his helmet off. He was aware and very alert. He broke his Tib&Fib. I road in the ambulance to the hospital. Steve was bitching at the bad judgement of a driver when the Medic Driver had to get on the PA system and tell the dumbshit to get out of the way!! Quit funny. After like a 2 and half hour wait, a nurse finds me in a waiting room and tells me where he is. He is gonna need surgery which will happen tomorrow. I got a ride back to the DZ and then discovered that everyone had left and my bag was locked in the packing area!! Thank god the guy that gave me a ride is one of the packers/rigger and had a key, only problem is there were at his house.....30 minutes away. Well i got my bag back and went home.I had hoped i would never actually see someone eat shit, but i got one hell of an eyefull today. Sorry about the long post but I had to get it off my mind. i can't wait for the bad dreams i am gonna have tonight. I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
n2skdvn 0 #2 March 17, 2002 i feel for you man after the week ive had i know how ya feeli also saw the fatality at wffc 2001 was not a pretty sightdo a jump tomorow get the hebe gebes out ya need it!!!if ya can't dodge it RAM IT !!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PalmettoTiger 1 #3 March 17, 2002 What a day Viking!!! Sorry to hear about your friend, but I'm glad that he didn't have paralyzing or fatal injuries. And you know what they say about skydivers with tib-fib fractures: more pins than a bowling alley ... and bigger balls too. PTigerI'm stepping through the doorAnd I'm floating in a most peculiar way Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viking 0 #4 March 17, 2002 LOL good one man hahahahaI swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wingnut 0 #5 March 17, 2002 sorry to hear about your friend......and as you should know....a good photgrapher alwys has his camera with him...never know when that pulitzer winner will spring up on ya..........i got some of my best shot ever while driving home and came apona good scene....i do mainly landscapes/sunrise/set......with an old minolta 700x ..... i love it since i bought the auto winder for it........"i may not go to heven, i hope you go to hell"-C.C. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viking 0 #6 March 17, 2002 Don't remind me dude i was thrashing my car tryin to get back to the scene! I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymedic 0 #7 March 17, 2002 QuoteSteve was bitching at the bad judgement of a driver when the Medic Driver had to get on the PA system and tell the dumbshit to get out of the way!! that shit happens every fukn day....and then people ask why it took so long for us to get there....gotta love dem stupid peeps..Hey sorry to hear about your friend man..hope he heals well..marcBSBD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #8 March 17, 2002 QuoteSo while i am driving i come opon a Jeep Wrangler, a nice bright red one......well it was probly red b/c it was ingulfed in flames of the same color!I was sitting here at home checking out the CHP traffic info page yesterday and saw that incident. Wondered if anybody from Otay saw it... and hoped it wasn't a jumpers car...Glad you got your butt back in the air! You gonna be jumping more often now that you're employed? pull and flare,lisa--I'll be in the bar... you'll find me... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
prost 0 #9 March 17, 2002 those that have and those that will right. But seriously, we need to know when not to hook it. Strong winds are one of those times. I hope your friend gets better soon.William Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viking 0 #10 March 17, 2002 ya lisa i will be jumping alot more. I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #11 March 17, 2002 Well...broken bones suck....but chics dig scars...It all works out in the end!! "I only have a C license, so I don't know shit..right?"-Clay Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Billy 0 #12 March 17, 2002 Glad your Buds OK,, better ta break bones than ruin a knee or ankle,, I thought ya were gonna tell us someone was still in the car!! That's really an ugly stench!!Don't read this shit down here,, it's nonsense,,, Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymedic 0 #13 March 17, 2002 QuoteThat's really an ugly stench!!isn't that the truth...worst part is you can't get it off ya for a few weeks...it just kinda follows ya around...and it wont come out of the chopper/jet/ambulance that ya take the patient in eather....nasty nasty....marcBSBD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viking 0 #14 March 17, 2002 trust me on this i wouldn't have been taking pictures if there was someone in the car. Thats not my job, and even if it was i would have a hard time taking pictures of somthing like that. I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,120 #15 March 17, 2002 >Even with the strong wind he decided to hook it. Steve has around 4900 jumps and is a very good pilot. >anyway about ten feet off the ground he catchs a rotor off the trees and his canopy (Stelleto 120 i beilve) Colapsed.I saw this landing, and wanted to clarify something I saw. His canopy remained inflated and flying the whole time, but the rotor was sufficient to keep his canopy from recovering from the toggle hook in time. If he'd had another 5 feet of altitude he would have been fine. Viking's right - Steve has over 2000 jumps on that very canopy, and he lands exactly the same way every time. It's for this very reason that I don't like toggle hooks. You can do everything perfectly, hit some turbulence, and have your recovery arc intersect the ground.-bill von Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymedic 0 #16 March 17, 2002 I just dont understand why people still toggle hook...it's like your just askin for a busted femur...marcBSBD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #17 March 17, 2002 I thought toggle hooks went out of fashion in 1984? For a very good reason......"I only have a C license, so I don't know shit..right?"-Clay Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viking 0 #18 March 17, 2002 thanx for clearing that up man i was hoping you would chime in. Thanx for puttin my keys in my bag too. For some reason his "landing" is very fuzzy. Kinda like after your first jump. just sensory overload kinda thing. I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
navaide 0 #19 March 18, 2002 I saw how your day went. I incidently broke my leg (tib, heel, and fib) last summer on a dive. I still feel the effects of it - however this should not hamper anyone who loves the sport once the darn thing heals up. I would reccommend giving it at least a year before diving again. It was only my second jump and I still remember how great it felt on the way down...Wow! It is something that I always wanted to do and I don't regret it a bit (the skydive). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airann 1 #20 March 18, 2002 You broke your leg on your 2nd jump... Yikes.... Ok, time to get back to skydiving. ...... Right?Ann ~ www.AirAnn.comOwner of recent pictures of Levin in RW suit.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cloudseeker2001 0 #21 March 18, 2002 man, that really sucks.......i have a red jeep and i would hate to see it go up in flames! sorry you had to see something so horrible! i really feel for that poor guy who lost it......cloud. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viking 0 #22 March 18, 2002 ya seeing one of my friends slam into the ground really sucks. One thing i do vividly remember is the blood on his teeth b/c he had bitten his lip. I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Albatross 0 #23 March 18, 2002 Sorry to hear about your friend. I have been there. Just remember that it was arisk that your friend knew and was willing to take and don't let it get into your head. Come jump with us at Perris. You can Demo Canopies and jump with friends.God bless us and God Bless AmericaAlbatross Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viking 0 #24 March 18, 2002 why don't you come down to Otay!!! I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
homer 0 #25 March 18, 2002 I used to be a paratrooper in the 82nd and I've seen my share of injuries. It was my first day at the local DZ and I was going to do a tandem. The load before mine they had an accident. A dumb ass jumper decided to do a 180 on approach and ran his feet through the top cells of a lower jumpers canopy. Thank god he hadn't been two feet lower or the lower jumpers canopy would have blown in two. Instead the atatchmant for the pilot chute saved it from ripping in two. The lower jumper burned in from around 150ft in a spin. He lived hand was seriously fucked up with many broken bones and internal problems. What a great first impression of the sport. After that I never did get to do that tandem. So I signed up for the next weeks static line class instead. Six months later I'm still jumping and last weekend I got the honer of jumping with that lower jumper. It was his third jump since his accident. it's good to have you back Rick Bite Me Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
