Bolas 5 #1 January 7, 2004 Don't get too freeked out about the title, it's posted here rather than incidents. I had been in Florida for a week and had taken Scott Miller's basic canopy school. I was jumping a Sabre 210 loaded almost 1:1 which I had 200+ jumps on. I had made about 19 jumps so far around Florida (1 at Z-hills) and had hit 300 that day, this was 301. The midnight night jump, I was gonna land in front of the drunken crowd. I started the year in freefall!!! I was flying back well to my holding area and the according to the accuracy trick I was fine at about 2500. When I got lower I started getting pushed back and realized I wasn't going to make the main landing area. I looked below me and in front of me and saw I was over clear area so I didn't worry too much. As I got closer I saw a clear road (which I thought was a taxiway) and something didn't look right to me about the grass to the side (and I didn't have a flashlight to check ) so I elected to land on the road which I have landed on asphalt successfully before. At about 20-30 feet from the ground I see a chain link fence about 15 feet high directly in front of me!!! (for those familiar with Z-hills this is the fence around the water treatment plant) I knew I couldn't clear it and didn't want to smack directly into it so I said "oh shit" and did a left turn. I hit the road skinning my knees and palms. I got big road rash spot directly below my left knee and ripped a big hole in my old jumpsuit. I knew I wasn't hurt because I took off my gear, threw it over the fence then climbed over the same fence and walked back to the hangar. I went to the doctor a few days later and got it x-rayed (came back clean ) and am on antibiotics to prevent infection and my Tetanus booster in now up to date. Here is what I'm not sure of. I have practiced brake turns and flare turns many times. I think I did a turn with one toggle then matched with the other, finished the flare and PLFed, but if I did that wouldn't I have not skinned my knees? The scab is on the side I PLF too though, its not dead center. Lessons learned: 1. 1 jump in the day is not familiarity enough to make a night jump into an area 2. Always have a flashlight on a night jump. 3. When landing off on a road or taxiway, set up near the side if possible so you can PLF or land in grass rather than concrete. 4. Don't screw around until you are back to your holding are no matter how high you are. 5. Carry a cel phone with you on a night jump so you can call the DZ if needed. 6. Don't ever get cocky, just be focused.Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,120 #2 January 7, 2004 >At about 20-30 feet from the ground I see a chain link fence about > 15 feet high directly in front of me!!! >I have practiced brake turns and flare turns many times. I think I did > a turn with one toggle then matched with the other, finished the > flare and PLFed, but if I did that wouldn't I have not skinned my > knees? The scab is on the side I PLF too though, its not dead center. Dude, you turned your canopy ~90 degrees at 30 feet and survived with nothing more than a skinned knee! That's a shit-hot manuever. Congratulations on pulling it off; the same scenario has put other people in the hospital (or the morgue.) Getting a flat turn followed by a flare down perfectly is very tricky. You have to flat turn and come out of the flat turn with wings level and exactly the same speed you entered the turn with. Too much speed and you're diving coming out of the turn; too little speed and you won't get a strong flare. I can do it pretty well on my 150 (1.3 to 1) but I still can't do it reliably on my 119. It takes a _lot_ of practice to pull off perfectly. But even a less-than-100%-perfect flat turn/flare can turn a broken pelvis into a skinned knee, which is pretty cool. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chuckbrown 0 #3 January 7, 2004 Landing off at night is definitely a bummer. Good job of pulling it out. I always wear a head lamp with a xenon bulb for night jumps (under a half-shell Protec). Night jumping without one is sort of like driving at night without your headlights on. Not everybody uses them, but I've seen a broken back from an off-field night landing because a jumper couldn't see where she was flying (landed without a flare). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bolas 5 #4 January 7, 2004 Thanks, I really wish someone had seen the landing to know for sure though... The 'ol rectangle really doesn't dive unless you yank the toggles hard. I think the other thing that saved me from becoming one of the metal people is my canopy choice. I was actually thinking about downsizing soon. After Scott Miller's course I wasn't sure I was ready and after this I'm almost positive I'm not. Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chuckbrown 0 #5 January 7, 2004 Excellent judgment! Almost anybody can handle any canopy during the day landing on the DZ. The real test in choosing a canopy is whether you can safely land it in every conceivable scenario you might find yourself in, e.g., landing off at night, bad spot with nothing but keyholes for outs, etc. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bolas 5 #6 January 7, 2004 Yeah, I have been kicking myself about that one. My other 3 night jumps I had a flash light and a cell phone. I had a flashlight and a phone there, but it was in my van which was all the way over in the parking lot!! Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 37 #7 January 7, 2004 Glad you got out of it. Did you consider flaring and hitting the fence? I've bounced off a couple of woven wire fences in my younger and stupider days. If your slow enough (1:1 Sabre might be) and don't hit a pole might be less dangerous than the turn. I know it's tough to decide what to do, but it's another option to consider in the future.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bolas 5 #8 January 7, 2004 That did cross my mind. I knew I was not going to clear it but I thought if i hit it high enough I might flip right over and land on my head. Plus I couldn't tell if there was barbed wire on top. Actually the place I climbed over the fence was right where I would have hit and there was the gaps and poles right there. The poles were on the far side which made climbing down easy.Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bch7773 0 #9 January 7, 2004 Quote As I got closer I saw a clear road (which I thought was a taxiway) and something didn't look right to me about the grass to the side At about 20-30 feet from the ground I see a chain link fence about 15 feet high directly in front of me!!! (for those familiar with Z-hills this is the fence around the water treatment plant) so was that "strange grass" that you couldn't see a waste water treatment pond? if it was, be glad you didn't turn right MB 3528, RB 1182 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bolas 5 #10 January 7, 2004 No I think it was a ditch or some bushes. I was pretty far away from the treatment plant. That's why I was so surprised to see a fence. Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #11 January 7, 2004 Quote think I did a turn with one toggle then matched with the other, finished the flare and PLFed, but if I did that wouldn't I have not skinned my knees? The scab is on the side I PLF too though, its not dead center. By pulling down one toggle then the other to match it, you had caused the canopy to begin to dive and swung yourself out from under the canopy. Try pulling down both toggles, one a bit more than the other instead. The idea is to keep the canopy over your head instead of diving. Glad it worked out for you w/ only minor injurie(s), it could have been a lot worse. Derek Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GravityGirl 0 #12 January 8, 2004 QuoteAt about 20-30 feet from the ground I see a chain link fence about 15 feet high directly in front of me!!! (for those familiar with Z-hills this is the fence around the water treatment plant) I knew I couldn't clear it and didn't want to smack directly into it so I said "oh shit" and did a left turn. You pulled it out of your @$$. Consider what would hurt more. A chain link fence at 12 mph or the ground at 20? By turning you are just trading one obsticle for another, except you are increasing your speed in the process. Practice your flat turns some more. If you have to, think of it this way. Obsticle! Shit! Hit the brakes! Now slowly let up one side and flare from whatever point is necessary. Of course right as you are saying, "Shit" slam your feet and knees together too! I am glad you did not get hurt. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bolas 5 #13 January 9, 2004 True. I did trade one obstacle for another but my thinking was its better to hit an roll across the ground a little faster and extend the impact than hit and bounce back off a semi fixed object quickly and land on my back and butt onto pavement. Would I do the same again? Dunno. I do know I'm going to practice the same technique I think I used up high and see how much canopy dive I get.Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
