The links in my accident (that wasn't) chain

[gale 0]

Now I have my very own "no sh!t there I was" story. I don't know if I wanted one.

I skip out of work early to go do a jump. The weather is better then we've had in a long time with near-record highs. I'm doing a coach jump where I'll be practicing my manauever series.

Jumprun direction gets redecided by the pilot in the plane. The winds are doing nothing so it's no big deal. The pilot is still learning though and his jumpruns are inconsistant and often just not good. This time the jumprun was super short, door open - first group out immediately. I climbed out and left as soon as my coach was ready. We were south of the drop zone by quite a bit at this time. This is bad because there are few outs there. I didn't worry though because there was no wind and I should have been able to make it back, or somewhere close anyway.

After a good freefall I deploy at 3,000 as planned. I toggle came loose on opening. The line and toggle became caught (I'm sorry I don't know the correct name for the ring the brake line goes through) near the slider. I know what's wrong and I know that's why I'm turning - but I can't reach the toggle. I attempt to get it a couple of times. Now I'm at 2,000 and I yank on the rear riser to get the toggle. I know I'm at my desicion altitude but I'm thinking "this isn't a malfunction - it's just a toggle, I can get it". I do get the toggle. Now I'm at 1,000. There are two fields in front of me. OK, no problem, I've prepared for an off-field landing. I pick the larger of the two fields.

I set up to land, sinking in, in brakes to be careful not to overshoot in the no-wind conditions. Then at about 200 I see powerlines right in front of me. There're running through the middle of the field. 30,000 volts of electiricity that I'd really much rather not experience first hand. I make a quick flat turn to the right. I don't hink I can land on the side of the power lines I'm on because there's trees, house, road. So I fly over a road, and a shorter set of power lines (which at the time I thought I might hit) and land in a different field. I land unhurt.

Stupid things done by me:

1. Not requesting a go-around. We're not supposed to do jumpruns to the south for a reason. Yes, under normal circustances I could have probably made it somewhere close - but I didn't consider what would happen if a had a malfunction.

2. Possible packing error. I know I stowed the brakes, but I may not have done it as carefully as I should have.

3. Not having shorter risers. I honestly never thought of this problem. The risers have always been too long - from student status onward. I just didn't see this coming, even though I probably should have.

4. Not paying attention to my harddeck. Desicion altitude has that name for a reason - it's time to make a decision to chop or not. IF I CAN'T LAND IT AT 2,000 IT'S TIME TO CHOP. I will never make that mistake again.

5. Yarding down on a rear riser generally isn't a great course of action during a malfunction - it increased my decent rate. It may have been what I had to do to get the toggle but it's worth mentioning that it's not generally a good idea, I think.

6. Power lines are invisible, and looking to kill me. In this case there were power lines running through a field and the poles were so far apart so as to be unnoticable. Next time I will try to spot poles first thing, because power lines aren't always just along the roads.

I think that's all of them. I'm thankful to be here, and learn from this. I'm extremely upset that it took scaring the sh!t out of myself to cement these concepts.

I spent some time yesterday thinking about whether I should jump again. Maybe this lack of judgment means I just can't do this. I'm not cut out for it. I don't know if that's true. I am going out to the drop zone today. I guess we'll see what I decide when I get there.

I fly a Tri220 loaded at 1:1. This was jump 57.

I'm drowning...so come inside
Welcome to my...dirty mind

[skymama 37]

Quote

I spent some time yesterday thinking about whether I should jump again. Maybe this lack of judgment means I just can't do this. I'm not cut out for it. I don't know if that's true.

I think your biggest lack of judgement was going through your hard deck, the other things just all combined to contribute to a scary jump. It seems as though you've analyzed the situation and hopefully you will learn from your mistakes. I don't think what you did is any reason to stop jumping though. I speak from experience. I had an accident and a canopy wrap by jump #26 and I did quit for 7 months because I didn't think I was cut out for the sport. After much contimplation and making myself learn more, I came back and 200 jumps later, everything has been fine. Now, I really wish I wouldn't have taken that time off and would have just kept plugging along.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[PhreeZone 20]

Very good points about powerlines running in the middle of fields. I consider anything to be running in a straight line as something that wants to kill me on an out landing. A straight path cut through a woods looks like a good out, till you see the powerlines.

Nice job handleing the situation. One question, did you look out before you climbed out or did you just follow the group befoure you right out?

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[tbrown 26]

A good reason why people should take the time to study an aerial photo of any DZ they're jumping at, especially if they're new or visiting. You can even ask somebody to point out things like power lines and other hazards.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[aero04 0]

I agree with Skymama, blowing through the hard deck was the big problem. Unfortunately, it seems having the shit scared out of us is the best teacher. Not just skydiving, but anything. For example, when you get your drivers license, some think they are the best driver around and have the "it will never happen to me" syndrome. That is until something happens to make you realize the roads can kill you quickly (falling asleep at the wheel while doing 70 mph and spinning my pickup was my case).

You'll never make that mistake again and now your a better skydiver for it. There would be very few jumpers if we decided to stop jumping after a scare. We all make mistakes, you must, and sounds like you have, learn from it. Besides your still alive so you did something right. Good Job!!

[dterrick 0]

Hah! "you got away with one" ... as have I. I'm only a hundred jumps or so ahead of you and while I can;t say that your attitude will remain vigilant "forever" I know you will remember this jump-from-hell for a LONG time and you WON't make those mistakes again.

Yes, after 144 jumps "I've seen it all" but I have to agree with those who have said decision altitude is decision altitude. Something that I think we in Cesna land get hung up on is taking our deployment down to the legal limit (I often do) which then leaves little time under canopy to deal with problems or emergencies. It leaves even less time if you have a total or a high speed mal.

I'm impressed with your recall and critique of the incident - but you forgot the main problem.... you skipped out of work early and the labour gods gave you a warning. I wonder what I did to earn a hoerseshoe malfunction on a hop n pop last month? (trust me, you don't want to try THAT one)

Dave

Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

[wmw999 2,584]

Good job on thinking about all the pieces. It's easy to focus on one particular one, and sometimes it's valid. But you want to think about all of them, because the next time you're having an exciting jump it won't be the same as this one. Well, at least I hope not...

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[gale 0]

To answer your question, yes I looked before I got out. I knew we were south, and not in a good position, but I got out anyway. There was no wind and I thought I could make it back. That, of course, would be assuming I didn't have a malfunction! Next time I'll get a go-around. As I have now been reminded, a malfunction could happen at any time - that's one of the reasons the spot is important!

And as a quick update, I did jump today - twice. I'm here, and I'm OK. The jumps were fine, I landed on the field without incedent. Analyzing the situation was good for me. I will be holding this experience near for a long time. This is hard stuff, and sometimes it all builds up into mistakes. I will be vigilant and try to remember that it CAN happen to me.

I'm drowning...so come inside
Welcome to my...dirty mind