3rd jump mal S/L

[SkyDekker 1,465]

This was the first time that my girlfriend actually joined me on a day at the dropzone to see what exactly I had gotten addicted to. Four weeks ago I did my first jump in the Static Line progression and was hooked instantly. What in incredible feeling to jump out of a plane and then glide back down to earth. I am pretty sure that 4 hours after my first jump I was still talking way too loud A week later I went back to Skydive Toronto (a 2.5 hour drive for me) to do my second jump. This one I enjoyed even more. This time I actually remembered every second from climbing out of the plane, to jumping, to opening and the landing which I yet have to stand up . I was rearing to go for a third jump that same day, but they grounded all students due to high winds.
Sadly enough I had to wait three weeks before I could jump again due to a trip back to Holland, where I actually grew up. This past Sunday was the day, finally I got to jump again. This time however, Chantal was with me. She does not quite understand why I want to do all this but has certainly been supportive and wanted to come and watch me for a day.
The trip to the DZ was uneventful. However, as I was getting closer and closer I started to feel more and more uncomfortable.I figured that was just due to the fact that I had not jumped in three weeks and that it would slowly go away. As we got closer and closer to the DZ I got more and more uncomfortable. Since I did not want to unnecessarily alarm Chantal I abviously did not tell her about how exactly I felt. For all I knew, since I am such an inexperienced jumper, these feelings were just natural.
I manifested, had an instructor appointed, got geared up, checked and ready to go. A last uneasy pose for a picture a smile and a wink and I am in the plane. For the first time I am thinking about what ifs on the plane ride to altitude. I am feeling so uneasy, but am convinced that I will be fine as soon as it is time to jump.
The spot is almost directly above the DZ on this no-wind day. The door opens, we are at 3000 ft. and I am happy that I am first out of the 182. I hate sitting on my knees like that . I check my SL for the last time just as the JM tells me to get ready. I shuffle to the door and start the routine. DOOR, I grab the door with both hands. LEFT FOOT as I get off my knees and move my left foot to the little step outside the plane. LEFT HAND as my left hand leaves the door and grabs the strut, making me lean out of the plane. RIGHT FOOT as my right foot moves to the right bottom corner of the door. I force myself to look directly at the propellor, waiting to hear GO together with the pat on my leg indicating it is time to jump.
GO, my right hand swings for the wing tip as I gently jump and automatically enter the arch position. ARCH thousand, I see the plane flying away, TWO one thousand as I fall further from the plane which is now almost a small spot in the blue sky. THREE one thousand, I can feel the parachute being pulled out of the container and start feeling the tugs on my body as the chute deploys. FOUR one thousand I don't feel those tugs anymore, the chute is out, time to look up and check chute.
Wow, that is quite the line twist. I remembered reading about grabing the risers and pulling them apart as I kick my feet as opposed to just kicking. That worked well, but that right front riser looks pretty funny and the right side of the slider is all crumpled up. Hopefully flaring twice will solve the problem, I reach for the toggles, flare, flare again. As I finish my flare I feel myself going into a right spin, I look up and those lines are still all twisted and the right side of the slider is still all crumpled. But it doesn't look like any of the pictures they had shown us.
I can hear the radio instructor telling me to make a turn. Can she not see that I am having a bit of a problem here. I listen to hear if she tells me to pull the reserve. Why does she not tell em to pull. Later I realized that there was no way she could have seen what was going on from the ground.
Should I pull the reserve? I am not falling really fast. I flare a third time, hoping that it will solve the problem. It doesn't, I start to spin again. I counter steer and fly somewhat straight. I can't fix the problem, but can I land this chute? I am convinced I cannot, so I LOOK for the handle in yellow, GRAB it with both hands.....and PULL.......... and arch. Now I am falling again. The only thing I can think of is: I hope this F^*&ing things open. I feel the tugs, look up and there is a beautifull bright orange chute, no twists, just a perfect chute.
I grab the toggles, flare twice, look for the target find it and turn towards it. I hear the radio instruictor tell me that I had a good chute and starts to talk me back to earth. I look for my girlfriend on the ground but cannot find her. I see the free bag falling, the main fluttering away and people on the ground looking up, pointng and running after freebag and main.
I am coming in fast, this reserve is smaller than I am used to and there is absolutely no wind to slow me down. I hear the instroctor telling me to flare, but I am still so high. I flare and feel the chute slow down a little, but I am not hitting the ground yet. Hold it, hold it, hold it, boom, I hear the instructor yelling: roll, roll. I try my best PLF, yet go forward and hit my head on the ground. But I am safe. Ouch my fingers hurt a bit, ohh well, shake it off, gather the chute and walk to the courtyard where a group of people with my girlfriend in the middle are staring at me.
Ouch my fingers on my right hand really hurt, but I am sure nothing is broken. (the docter today confirmed that. Just a severe sprain and I need to rest those fingers). The first words out of my girlfriend wre: we're going home.
Since I jumped again on Sunday I guess my "talking" worked I still cannot believe how calm I was through all of this. I can remember my thoughts and actions and never felt anything that resembled panic. In the end, I am somewhat happy that I had this experience. I would like to thank everybody on this forum for writing about their experiences, it certainly helps to read about all these things for us newbies.
Michelle, thank you for the story of your mal, funny that it was your third jump as well. I remembered to pull the risers in a line twist from your stories.
Now I can't wait to jump again....
Blue Skies
Justin

[freeflir29 0]

It's all good...you walked away. One other thing, whuffo girl friends arent too bad. Then they arent spending your money on jumps and rigs.
"You either fight or you surf, son" -Name that movie
Clay

[sblue 0]

Now you know why we go over and over and over things in the first jump class. You may not need it on the very first jump, but when you do, we have drilled it in your head so much that you cannot help but remember it.
I remember on my first reserve ride (container lock) being more mad that scared. I was really annoyed that I had to pull that handle.
Blue Skies, Shawn

[Pammi 0]

I'm glad it all went well and you landed safely!! I was told once that it's not about making the mistake, it's about being clear-headed through it and handling it! You did both beautifully it sounds like!
I have just one question...

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? I am convinced I cannot, so I LOOK for the handle in yellow, GRAB it with both hands.....and PULL.......... and arch. Now I am falling again. The only thing I can think of is: I hope this F^*&ing things open

I assume you pulled the reserve also and didn't just rely on your RSL to get it right? Just wondering...
P
Merrick's SCR Ceremony

[SkyDekker 1,465]

Pammi, the student rigs at Skydive Toronto are SOS, so one handle supposedly does both cutaway and deployment.

[MarkM 0]

Hey SkyDekker, sounds like you have a really good head on your shoulders.
I remember my 3rd, 4th, 5th jumps. The hardest part was pulling into the DZ parking lot, was nervous as hell. Then I remember on my 6th jump, the ride up I kept asking myself "why the hell am I doing this"?
But it's all good once you leave that plane and after a few more jumps the fear sorta turns into a comfortable nervousness.
Next time when you PLF keep those hands in! I banged up my wrist pretty well reaching for the ground myself last summer.

[mountainman 0]

Just curious.....what did your instructor say about your cutaway?? What did the finally say when they found out that you had a mal?? And what was it exactly? Lineover?
Glad that everything turned out well and that you went back. Good luck from here on out!!!Our website...updated 7 August...

[SkyDekker 1,465]

My instructor did not see the mal. He was in the plane going to 6,000' for a 20 sec delay student. But after I told him he told me, together with other instructors and the DZO's, that it was a good pull. They think it was a tension knot in one of the lines. My JM said that he had landed a mal like that before, but with a lot more experience than me and that someone on a third jump with no wind should never try and land a chute like that.
Blue Skies Justin

[wildblue 7]

was the slider down all the way? were the lines on the right twisted or just crossed? Just from what you said it sounds like a step-through or maybe tension knots.
Anyway, you did the right thing: when in doubt, whip it out!
:)

[SkyDekker 1,465]

At the DZ they told me it was probably a tension knot. The riser was all the way down, but the right side of it was crumpled. As I remember it, the lines on the right were tisted, but in all honesty they could have been crossed as well.
What is a step-through?
Blue Skies, Justin

[Michele 1]

Justin

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Michelle, thank you for the story of your mal, funny that it was your third jump as well. I remembered to pull the risers in a line twist from your stories.

Thank you, Justin, thank you thank you thank you. Thank you for listening to your instructors. Thank you for knowing your emergency procedures. Thank you for pulling, thank you for jumping, thank you for writing. I had to wipe tears away from my eyes - I am so proud of you. Good for you!
ciel bleu-
Michele

[FallingMarc 0]

Awesome, dude! Sounds like you got all the important stuff done: got out of the airplane, kept yourself alive when the shit hit the fan, and jumped again!
Nothing like a good malfunction to get the heart pumping...
Marc