mailin 0 #1 May 7, 2004 I feel bad for the folks at Boston/Providence because I know that they are a good operation. http://www.pawtuckettimes.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=11451436&BRD=1713&PAG=461&dept_id=24491&rfi=8 Skydiver hangs it up in Lincoln Tim Grace 05/06/2004 LINCOLN -- Frank D’Ordine expected to have his feet on the ground about 5 minutes after jumping from a Cessna 12,500 feet above North Central Airport Wednesday morning. But it would be more than an hour before the skydiving student would return to Mother Earth. D’Ordine, 61, of Kenyon Avenue, Pawtucket, landed in woods a few hundred yards north of the airport’s skydiving drop zone. Tangled parachute lines caused him to veer off course into the trees, where his parachute snagged in some branches, leaving D’Ordine dangling about 30 feet above the forest floor. D’Ordine injured nothing but his pride in the accident. Firefighters and police arrived at the scene, about 400 yards west of Albion Road at the edge of the airport’s property, at about 11 a.m. to find D’Ordine clinging to a thin tree trunk. Answering questions shouted up to him from the assembled reporters, rescue teams and airport officials, D’Ordine said, "It’s my fault. They’re good teachers. They taught me well. "I’m doing great. The parachute’s not too good." D’Ordine was taught skydiving at the Boston Providence Skydiving Center, which has an office at North Central. His instructor, who identified himself only as "Greg," said D’Ordine’s mishap occurred on his seventh or eighth solo jump. The instructor said windy conditions Wednesday were not a factor. Ted Drozdz, the Rhode Island Airport Corporation’s chief of aeronautics, concurred, saying snarled lines sent D’Ordine off course. "He looked for an alternate landing site ..and elected to put it in the trees," Drozdz said. Drozdz said RIAC will investigate the crash landing, but he doesn’t expect any startling revelations. "This one seems pretty simple," he said. Members of the town’s High Angle Rescue Team used a ladder and a few safety lines to help D’Ordine finish his descent safely. Fire-medic Dave Levesque of the town’s rescue service climbed the ladder and, at 12:15 p.m., managed to guide D’Ordine down. Doors at the Boston Providence Skydiving Center were locked. People inside the office turned a reporter away after the accident. Skydiving school owner Robert Spencer declined comment. The airport has seen its share of mishaps in recent years. In September 1997, five people, four skydivers and a pilot, were killed when their Cessna 182 Skylane’s engine quit on takeoff. A 31-year-old West Warwick man broke his leg during a hard landing after an October 2000 jump at North Central. And in 2002, a 35-year-old New Bedford woman, skydiving with her husband and a group of friends, drifted into a grounded plane’s spinning propeller, breaking her arm. ©The Pawtucket Times 2004Arianna Frances Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ianmdrennan 2 #2 May 7, 2004 QuoteAnd in 2002, a 35-year-old New Bedford woman, skydiving with her husband and a group of friends, drifted into a grounded plane’s spinning propeller, breaking her arm. That really pisses me off (both the accident and the reporter). Her name was Susan Costa. She FLEW INTO THE PROP because she tried to land in the D license area NEAR HER FAMILY (she had 14 jumps) which is near the hot loading spot (hence the D restriction). The conditions for the day were light and variable, with no effort she could have made a correction and been out of harms way. Instead the Dropzone, State Airport, DZO and plane owners get sued. Where's the justice in that??? To top it off rumor has it "She want's to skydive again". Some people.Performance Designs Factory Team Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #3 May 7, 2004 Sounds like the local paper has an agenda and a taste for sensationalism. I think the DZ should have spoken to reporters and given their side of the story. The plane crash, a tragedy, but a broken leg and a tree landing? Inconsequential. And the lady who broke her arm? Hate to be politically incorrect, but I think we should blame the "victim" on this one. Is this DZ under any local pressure to close? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mailin 0 #4 May 7, 2004 QuoteIs this DZ under any local pressure to close? I don't know if its local pressure but they were closed to 'fun' jumpers all of last year. They are a good operation - its sad to see them portrayed in this light - but I don't think they did themselves any justice by locking their doors either. JenniferArianna Frances Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freefalle 0 #5 May 7, 2004 QuoteThat really pisses me off (both the accident and the reporter). Her name was Susan Costa. She FLEW INTO THE PROP because she tried to land in the D license area NEAR HER FAMILY (she had 14 jumps) which is near the hot loading spot (hence the D restriction). The conditions for the day were light and variable, with no effort she could have made a correction and been out of harms way. Instead the Dropzone, State Airport, DZO and plane owners get sued. Where's the justice in that??? To top it off rumor has it "She want's to skydive again". She flew into the prop because SHE disregarded saftey procedures and the SHE sued the DZ???? did I read that right? Did she win her law suit? Sounds to be like her mother should have swallowed her. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weegegirl 2 #6 May 7, 2004 i think all the heat this dz is getting is bullsh*t... but that's already been said. just wondering though... what happened here exactly? what do the "snarled lines" refer to??? was there a tension knot or something? i'm confused. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ianmdrennan 2 #7 May 7, 2004 QuoteShe flew into the prop because SHE disregarded saftey procedures and the SHE sued the DZ???? did I read that right? Yep, you read it right. If the plane was loading in the middle of the damn landing area I could understand it, but it was in an AIRCRAFT area, where ONLY D license holders were allowed to land near (right on the edge of the landing area). Unfortunately the spectator area is near the D license area....you know the rest. And for the record I was in the co-pilots seat when this all went down so this isn't 2rd hand info. Also for the record she didn't actually fly into the prop, she stopped just short (thanks to Darren's brave effort), but her canopy still fell forward into the spinning blade, causing her to do (reportedly I wasn't counting) 2 revs around the prop before it stopped. QuoteDid she win her law suit? Not that I know of. Regardless it costs everyone money to defend themselves or get lawyers even if it doesn't go to court. Not to mention it was a nail in the coffin of the DZ QuoteSounds to be like her mother should have swallowed her. No comment Blue ones, IanPerformance Designs Factory Team Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dougiefresh 0 #8 May 8, 2004 At my home dz, you have to sign away all your rights to sue if anything happens. This includes a section that sates if you do sue and win, you have to reimburse the dz for whatever they lost. I assumed this was standard language at dzs. Is this not true? I'm no lawyer, but it sounds like this lady wouldn't have a case anyway.Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. --Douglas Adams Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jimbo 0 #9 May 8, 2004 QuoteAt my home dz, you have to sign away all your rights to sue if anything happens. You can sign anything in the world, but there's nothing that can prevent you from taking someone, or some dropzone to court. The defendant NEEDS to show up and at least TRY to defend himself, otherwise it's a automatic win for the plaintiff. See the problem? - Jim"Like" - The modern day comma Good bye, my friends. You are missed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
juanesky 0 #10 May 10, 2004 All the reporters (particularly the one from Channel 12) were asking really stupid questions, and instead of feeding a paranoia of an off landing with a safe but embarrassing landing (Frank is still a student) we simply gave basic info and the "talk to the DZO" or the S&TA. We could sense they were not after what really caused the incident, but wanted to dig on something that was just not there. Instead of trying to learn a little about the sport they just wanted to know the tragic aspects of it. People keep your mouth shut for it will feed the frenzy. By the way the instructor was not GREG, it was Gary. Frank had a really bad day, not only because of the uncalled celebrity, but the jokes from all of us. Still owes lots of beer.. As for the local pressure, they are true, but fun jumpers are allowed there once more, too bad we lost the caravan ."According to some of the conservatives here, it sounds like it's fine to beat your wide - as long as she had it coming." -Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
