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Skydiving Fatalities: 2006: North America: Canopy collision on opening

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Canopy collision on opening

	Location		Jump Information
Date:	2006-07-22	Category:	Collision
Country:	United States	Factors:	Canopy Collision
State:	Mississippi	Jump Type:	Relative Work
Drop Zone:	Gold Coast Skydivers
	Gear		Personal Information
Container:		Sex:	Male
Main:	9-Cell 230	Age:	75
Reserve:		Jumps:	1200+
AAD:		Years in Sport:
RSL:		Name:	G. D. Williams
Description
Two jumpers were involved in a canopy collision after opening following a routine 4 way jump Opening altitude was approximately 3500 feet. One of the jumpers died as a result of the collision. The other jumpe sustained severe bruising from his thigh to his ankle but was otherwise okay. Jumper 2 had severe line twists on opening and the collision occurred immediately after he kicked out. The canopies momentarily wrapped but came apart very quickly and were not damaged by the impact. Jmper 2 first thought that jumper 1's head collided with his chest but the nature of his bruises suggests that jumper 1's head hit around his hip and thigh area. Jumper 1 always wore a protect helmet but apparently it came off during impact because we could not find his helmet anywhere. After the collision the jumper was observed to be in a slow right hand turn and hanging limp in his harness. His right brake was still stowed and his left brake was released, possibly a result of the collision.
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