Possible Fatality

[Deleted 0]

I believe there was a fatality today at SkyDive Dallas. I was told the jumper was a student and hit the hanger while turning to final.

[SniperCJ 0]

There was a fatality at SDD today.
I was on the load with the first jump student and was inside packing when he landed. I didnt get details, but he, for as yet unexplained reason, turned downwind on final approach. He struck the hanger full on and was transported via Lifeflite chopper.
The first responders are to be commended for their efforts, although futile, to save his life. CPR was begun quickly and continued onto the chopper. I dont believe he ever had a steady pulse.
Thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
JC

[venwood 0]

Prayers to his family
Jump high, fly far,
venwood

[ramon 0]

That really sucks.
I'll drink one for him at the Freaks Flock Together Boogie.
Blue Skies Black Death.
Ramon

[Pammi 0]

I agree, this sucks. I missed this weekend jumping to visit family and had hoped to come back to some awesome stories from you guys who'd been able to go jump. I come back and see two deaths and possibly a third. So sad . My prayers will be with everyone who knew them and the families.
Pammi
"The question is not whether we will die, but how we will live."
-Joan Borysenko

[MarkM 0]

Youch. Sorry to hear this.
And I've seen my fair share of first jump students wigging out on the landing approach. Usually it just ends up in minor injuries or a little embarrassment, but it sounds like this guy did the wrong things and got a little unlucky.
Although there's nothing in the world like making your first jump solo, stories like this make me pro AFP for a student program(your first 3 jumps are tandem, then it's AFF).

[ramon 0]

I agree. I saw a lot of student mess ups where I learned (AFF), and my current DZ (AFP) has much better canopy pilots coming off of student status.
BSBD
ramon

[Zennie 0]

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my current DZ (AFP) has much better canopy pilots coming off of student status.

Like me?
Just kidding.
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Blue Skies!
Zennie

[Zennie 0]

As much as people like to knock AFP for being expensive, I have nothing but praises for the program. By the time I had my own chute on my back, I had done 3 freefalls, so I was already used to the environment.
During those tandems we talked about setting up and performing the approach and landing. So again, by the time I was working my own canopy I had at least been exposed to, and talked through, it in a "real-world" setting.
AFF has obviously produced very talented and safe skydivers. But I know I am grateful for the gradual approach of AFP.
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Blue Skies!
Zennie

[PLFXpert 0]

In related news:
An experienced canopy pilot died on Friday at Skydive Deland after performing a hook turn gone wrong. The man, Bungee, still had his right toggle in his hand where he lay on the ground. He bounced 3 times before coming to a rest somewhere in between the peas and the taxiway. He died on impact. No one quite understands why this experienced canopy pilot still had his toggle pulled all the way down.

[SpeedRacer 1]

Zennie (and whoever else),
I went directly into AFF for my first jump. But during my first AFF jumps, I had a radio in my helmet & an instructor on the ground talked me down. That helped a lot when I was new. By AFF5 I didn't use the radio anymore. My questions are 1) Didn't this student have a working radio receiver in his helmet w/ an instructor talking him down? I thought that was a standard procedure.
My other question: I never did a tandem. When you're a tandem student & under canopy, do they let you work the toggles yourself & just talk you through it? Or does the tandem master do all the work?
Speed Racer
"Blue Skies, Red eyes, Sore thighs!"

[Zennie 0]

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My questions are 1) Didn't this student have a working radio receiver in his helmet w/ an instructor talking him down? I thought that was a standard procedure.

I thought so too. I had a radio attached to me for my landings. One possibility is that the radio receiver's battery died or it wasn't turned on. When my bro-in-law did his AFF #1 several years back his receiver's battery died on him. Got down OK.

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When you're a tandem student & under canopy, do they let you work the toggles yourself & just talk you through it?

A little of both. There are two sets (if I remember correctly), both attached to the same brake lines. They'll let you "help" with turns and landing flares. I'll tell you what, those tandem canopies are a bit#$ to steer. They're frickin' huge! So, yes, I had at least played with the toggles a bit and had ab basic understanding of approaches before setting out under my own canopy.
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Blue Skies!
Zennie

[mountainman 0]

Here is what they do at my DZ. We start directly into AFF (which my wife and I will do in June), but instead of all lecture about canopy control, we are fortunate enough to have ParaSIM VR to practice with. Obviously it isn't the same as being under canopy, but it is very accurate in rate of descent, wind direction/speed being a factor, even different size canopies, and mals.
I have had one tandem jump where the instructor didn't really let me do much except for one flare at about 3000' and then a left and right turn at about 2000'.
Anyway, I think that this VR is going to be a HUGE help. My wife and I both got to use it this past week and though that it would be tons of help. The airport on the sim is almost identical to the DZ airport.
Here is a webpage that has more info on the Parasim: http://www.systemstech.com/paramain.htm
Our DZ is Aerodrome Sky Sports in Richmond, IN and I believe that Cleveland has the only other Parasim at cilivian DZs in the US.
Blue ones
NEW AND IMPROVED!!!
http://home.woh.rr.com/brandonandlaura/

[mattb 0]

"When you're a tandem student & under canopy, do they let you work the toggles yourself & just talk you through it? Or does the tandem master do all the work?"
Tandems at AFP dropzones are supposed to be "Level 0 AFP" jumps. The tandem master when I jumped let me control the turns (fast / slow /etc) and also discussed landing. Regardless of control I was a lot more confident flying under canopy myself having been there once before. I was also lucky to have a dz with a landing area the size of Rhode Island where students land about 300 yards from anything except corn.
-mob

[ramon 0]

My radio did not work on my first two jumps. They used paddles on the ground. I have seen this many times at various dropzones due to a multitude of reasons (batteries cheap radios other mixups).
Regular tandems may choose to instruct canopy skills or just fly you around and collect your money for the ride. AFP instructors instruct on ground and in air.
I think students are more "heads up" under canopy after beginning AFP. I'm not an instructor, but the instruction given at my dropzone is definitely more complete than what I recieved.
Me, I think I played a lot of video games...

bloo ones

[ramon 0]

hah! I have yet to see a broken leg here (although) I have seen some very very dirty jump suits (sometimes mine).
yuk yuk
Old DZ had some education problems I think.
bloo ones
ramon

[Zennie 0]

Man is Dallas having a string of bad luck or what?
First the plane (which thankfully resulted in no fatalities) and now this. My condolences to all you guys up there. Hang tough!
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Blue Skies!
Zennie

[Grogs 0]

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First the plane (which thankfully resulted in no fatalities) and now this. My condolences to all you guys up there. Hang tough!

I don't think the plane was at SDD. Skydive Texas, wasn't it?
Edit: Yep, checked the article. The plane crash was at Skydive Texas in Decatur. Different DZ.
Edited by Grogs on 4/16/01 12:02 PM.

[Zennie 0]

Ooop. My bad. I remember reading about it and knew it was in the Dallas area so I assumed (yeah I know what happens when you assume) it was SDD.
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Blue Skies!
Zennie

[MarkM 0]

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My questions are 1) Didn't this student have a working radio receiver in his helmet w/ an instructor talking him down? I thought that was a standard procedure.

Hehe. You can talk them down all you want but they have to listen. Talk to one of the guys that radios down students sometime for some good stories on the stupid things people do.
And in all fairness it's hard not to get stupid(confused), when your brain is still reeling from jumping out of a plane and you're doing something completely new: flying a canopy.
Saw one student do everything perfectly, followed the radio just fine until he came in for the final leg of the landing. He saw that ground rushing up to him and just blanked out and didn't flare when commanded to. Even worse he didn't bend in his knees so he hit full on with his legs locked straight.
Dislocated his right leg.

[freaksister 0]

OK, everybody: Jessica witnessed the accident as she was at SDD yesterday. The student did not respond to radio commands.
My condolences to all...
Sis
"What we're all really seeking is something where we can feel the rapture of being alive."J.Campbell

[Jessica 0]

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Jessica witnessed the accident as she was at SDD yesterday. The student did not respond to radio commands.

Actually, I drove up just as the (empty) ambulances were leaving. He was CareFlited out but was probably gone on impact.
From what I understand, he WAS responding to radio commands, then inexplicably made a sharp downwind turn at about 40' off the ground which carried him into the side of the hangar. He was given medical attention immediately but it was already too late.
Horrible weekend for skydivers. I am subdued.
Jess

[freaksister 0]

Oops thanks for correcting me. I thought that was what you said on the phone...
Hope next weekend goes better...
sis
"What we're all really seeking is something where we can feel the rapture of being alive."J.Campbell

[Jessica 0]

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Oops thanks for correcting me. I thought that was what you said on the phone...

No no, that's okay...you were dead asleep when I called (even though it was almost NOON!!)

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[Zennie 0]

Sorry Jessica. My condolences to you and all the folks at SDD.
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Blue Skies!
Zennie