Weird-ass malfunction

[Macaulay 0]

Two canopies out. I watched the whole thing. The main came out and almost simultaneously the reserve fired... launching the reserve PC and freebag into the main. About 1 - 1.5 seconds later, the jumper is under just his reserve. The main floats away and lands about 100 feet up in a tree, and he has a safe landing in an optionless area (about 1,000 sq ft) surrounded by forest, lake, chainlink fence (topped with barbed wire), and powerlines half a block over.

My first assumption was that it was Cypres fire, but it looked high. Then I came to find out that the Cypres never fired. Only the main was pitched. The reserve ripcord was never pulled. The Cypres never fired. How did he get two canopies out?

The kink the RSL leaves in the cable was there, but there was no RSL to be found, and the jumper swore repeatedtly that he had no RSL. Even then, the RSL is activated by a cutaway, which did not happen until two canopies were already out.

How weird is that? My answer to the riddle would just be that he was jumping a Reflex.

Actually, the last theory was that he did have an RSL, but it wasn't hooked up, or attached properly, but that it was just tucked away, still on the reserve cable, and the jumper (not certain about experience or how long he had the rig) just wasn't aware of it. The RSL may have floated out, snagged a riser on opening, and moved outwards the 2 - 3 inches necessary to pull the reserve pin out of place.

Weird. Really damn weird.

- Mac

[ChileRelleno 0]

Why in your opinion would the reflex H/C have caused or contributed to this malfunction?

ChileRelleno-Rodriguez Bro#414
Hellfish#511,MuffBro#3532,AnvilBro#9, D24868

[blazingcannon 0]

Could be that dude hadn't been checking his reserve pin?
I know that a couple times I jumped assuming my reserve pin was ok, and when I went to check it, the pin had moved up. Leaving that unchecked too long could have it pop out at any time, I would think. Or maybe he was on a "contact-skydiving" jump and bumped into someone, dislodging the pin a bit.

"Spread your legs and fly"

[TALONSKY 0]

I am not sure of what happened to make his reserve activate. However, prior to that jump another jumper noticed that the top flap of the reserve portion of the container had not been included when the reserve was closed up. The jumper was geared up to jump when it was noticed. He took the rig off and took it back to the rigger that had repacked it to have it fixed. It was the next jump( after having it fixed) that the reserve got deployed. I am not an expert by any means but I would question if it was rigger induced. I find it totally unacceptable that this rigger left out one of the four flaps when closing that reserve, with that kind of error one would wonder what else he might have done wrong.
All I know is from now on I am requesting my reserve to be packed by any of the riggers except that one.
Kirk

[quade 4]

Maybe this should be discussed with Art Bell -- try the wild card line even if you're east of the Rockies.

(In other words, I think this just may fall into the category of wierd stuff happens.)

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[freeflir29 0]

I had two out once. It was a Quasar II. Only out of place thing noticed before the jump was that I didn't have quite as much slack in the reserve cable as the rig normally had. I was in a bit of a hurry and wrote it off to student gear not fitting well. I do a 5 way belly jump. Track away and dump at about 3000Ft. Main deployed normally but just as I was watching the end cells fully inflate I felt a tug on the harness. (Locking stows on the reserve) Next thing I see is the tail unfold and the reserve fully inflates right behind the main. I was under two fully inflated canopies at 2400 Ft. Cypres did not fire of course. I still have no idea why the reserve deployed but I can only guess that maybe the cable got misrouted or otherwise hosed up in the rig. When the harness stretched out during deployment it was enough to release the reserve. Oh well...some damn kid stole my free bag!!!

[Macaulay 0]

Quote

Why in your opinion would the reflex H/C have caused or contributed to this malfunction?

It was a joke.

- Mac

[JackR 0]

Not all riggers are made the same. This is another reason to take special care in selecting your rigger.

This also reminds me of the old saying, "Be careful what you ask for. You may just get it." For those who have asked for "rush job" or "overnight" reserve repacks. Is this really what you want? Is this the rigger you want doing that pack job?

Another story along these lines: About six or seven years ago a Molar Strap was found in a reserve upon a repack by another rigger. For those who don't know what a Molar Strap is, it is used by some riggers to control the reserve canopy as it is placed in the freebag. It can be a great help to the rigger, but if left on the canopy, will prevent the canopy from opening.

Packin' Jack
42nd Lost Prairie: The Ultimate Answer to Life, the Universe, and Skydiving
25 Jul - 3 Aug 2009
2007 photos: http://www.skydive.com/prairie/pages/prairie.htm

[Bowie 0]

A friend of me once had a 2 canopy situation. We found out the rsl line was too short. In a normal situation it was fine, but he had a hard opening and was thrown forward whit his feet. This kaused the rsl to deploy the reserve. It is a littel hard to explain but try to bend your risers forward and imagine a short rsl.
The rig had just had the rsl installed by a rigger, he took the blame and and fixed the rig free of charge
Sorry for my bad english

Bo Wienberg

vimeo.com/bowienberg

[Kirils 1]

Just one more reason NOT to use an RSL...

"Slow down! You are too young
to be moving that fast!"

Old Man Crawfish