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Location |
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Jump Information |
| Date: |
2004-09-24 |
Category: |
Malfunction  |
| Country: |
United Kingdom |
Factors: |
|
| State: |
|
Jump Type: |
AFF |
| Drop Zone: |
Hinton Skydiving Centre |
|
|
| |
Gear |
|
Personal Information |
| Container: |
|
Sex: |
Female |
| Main: |
|
Age: |
50 |
| Reserve: |
|
Jumps: |
1 |
| AAD: |
|
Years in Sport: |
0 |
| RSL: |
|
Name: |
Jeanne Hallam |
| Description |
This incident involved a 1st jump AFF student. According to reprots her canopy was flying fine from deployment to approx 1500 feet - she did all her control checks and was following intructions for landing i.e. she could turn and control it fine up until that point. At 1500 feet her canopy went into a turn which continued until impact. She was on a radio and was observed by those on the ground to have both arms up.
Results of the BPA investigation:
The Conclusions of the Board are that the free fall part of Jeanne’s descent went without incident and that her main parachute deployed correctly. However, the Board believes that as Jeanne attempted to take control of her parachute by taking hold of the steering toggles, she either: i) put her right hand through the loop of excess steering line stowed near the toggle, ii) put her hand through the loop of excess steering line and the toggle, or iii) put her hand through the steering toggle, and as she did this, the excess loop released and wrapped around the steering line itself. The Board believes that i) or ii) above, are the most likely scenarios.
Any of the above would effectively cause the parachute to turn right if both of Jeanne’s hands were level above hear head.
The Board believes that Jeanne steered back towards the PLA by pulling further down on her left toggle to compensate for the parachute’s right turn. Once she was over the edge of the PLA, she may have then let up on her left toggle, thus inducing a right turn. At this stage the CCI observed the continuing right turn and instructed her, by radio, to “stop turning and let the right toggle up”.
The Board believes that Jeanne carried out the instructions relayed to her and that her parachute then continued to spiral to the right until impact. |
| Lessons |
BPA RECOMMENDATIONs
The Recommendation of the Board is that parachute clubs and organisations ensure that when packing parachutes used by Student Parachutists, the excess steering line loop is secured in a manner that reduces the risk of a parachutist’s hand inadvertently going through it when taking hold of the steering toggles. |
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