---

Skydiving Fatalities: 2005: North America: Entanglement with reserve pilot chute

---

Entanglement with reserve pilot chute

	Location		Jump Information
Date:	2005-08-21	Category:	Reserve Problems
Country:	United States	Factors:	Gear Issues
State:		Jump Type:	Static Line
Drop Zone:	Marana Skydiving Center
	Gear		Personal Information
Container:		Sex:	Male
Main:		Age:	20
Reserve:		Jumps:	3
AAD:		Years in Sport:
RSL:	Yes	Name:	Tristen Knight
Description
This student had done a tandem a few months ago and returned yesterday to take the Static Line First Jump Course. First Static Line jump was excellent, and the student was cleared to do a Practice Ripcord Pull on his next jump. On his second Static Line jump, the student exited well, but when he went to pull the Practice Ripcord, he instead mistakenly pulled his cutaway handle. The jerk from the release of the deploying main parachute flipped him on his back and when the RSL released his reserve in this position, the pilot chute shot between his legs and tangled around one of his legs. The pilot chute remained tangled around his leg until impact.
Lessons