TF (Minor) Landing Mishaps

[JaapSuter 0]

Hello,

can anybody give an account of some unfortunate landings that have been made in Twin last weekend?

I know of at least a back problem, a leg problem, and a wrist problem, but heard rumours that there were other injuries.

The fatalities of this weekend easily overshadow the other incidents, but in my humble opinion the latter are much better indicators of what we can expect in the coming years.

Thanks,

Jaap Suter

[yuri_base 1]

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much better indicators of what we can expect in the coming years

A guy makes his first jump (PCA), doesn't unstow the brakes, pulls on front riser loops when everybody on the bridge is yelling, "Pop the toggles!!! Pop the toggles!!!", shlares the tarp with front seat belts and lands on the Bitch without a scratch. I think it's a damn good indicator.

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[tfelber 0]

Here's the info I have. I'm sure others can elaborate.

- low turn dragging a foot which resulted in a broken Tib/Fib repaired by a 7mm 24 inch rod and 4 screws.

- a believed broken Tib/Fib and Radius/Ulna resulting from a high, downwind flare and stall.

- a broken wrist???

- a believed broken coccyx maybe worse resulting from a dropped toggle and high rear riser flare.

- a broken hip and other bumps and bruises from a downwind landing in the boulder field.

- one other I can't remember right now.

Feel free to correct any of these...

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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- a broken wrist???

Something about Abbie jerking off in the vistors center bathroom? I could be way off.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[pBASEtobe 0]

I'm bored at work so I'll fill in what I know/heard.

Thursday - Broken (was it broken?) ankle due to bad landing.

Thursday - Broken hip bone (iliac crest) due to practicing object avoidance maneuvers for a little too long (ended up low). Landed on boulders.

Friday - Broken tib/fib due to hookin' it in.

Saturday - Broken wrist due to hookin' it in.

Monday - Broken T12 vertebrae due to lost/blown toggle, rear riser flare too high and stall.

Monday - broken arm or leg (that's all I know) due to unknown reasons. Yeah, yeah, yeah real descriptive, I know.

That's all I know, can someone with more accurate info please fill in the blanks or make corrections?

[base428 1]

Isn't the river the primary LZ? At least that's what we teach everyone at Bridge Day, where there are 100+ people making their first BASE jump and 825+ jumps made each year. If you're not 100% comfortable with your landing, opt for the water. You dry faster than you heal. Maybe the local jumpers should plant some trees on the shoreline so everyone can be reminded how soft the water is....

Nonetheless, best wishes for a speedy recovery to those injured. I've been there myself. Cya.

(c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted. <==For the media only

[tfelber 0]

That's what I heard, but I wasn't going to be the first to say it...

[RayLosli 11]

I don't know about Abbie jerking-off in the visitors center bathroom? was he injured ? Was he doing his impression again of singer, George Michael ???
But- on a little more serious thought here. and also.
For the people reading this Thread that did not attend this weekend. Relaxing and doing some.
Lazy, Casual BASE jumps off one of the. Easiest, Safest and LEAST TECHNICAL BASE objects offered for your jumping pleasure in the World. Twin Falls Idaho. There is no way you could see or know.
.
OK, For SOME of the jumpers that were there might have noticed ? You also need to - Factor-In - this to the (injury) equation.
This is the problem that keeps me thinking and that botheres me the most.
That for the Large Number of Jumpers that attended this weekend.
The Gross number of jumps completed was NOT very Large. Due to the funky but Not Serious weather conditions. With the single day of Monday (memorial day) being the only really nice weather jumping day.
ADD to this FACT, that If the Weather was Primo and conditions ideal and sunny for the entire 3-day holiday. The gross total number of BASE jumps that were made. Could easily been Quadrupled in number.
OK, I think the Question that needs to be asked is. ???
.
With this Memorial Day weekend being the Largest (if i am not mistaken) the LARGEST Jumper turnout yet. Why ???
The Percentage of Injuries was SO LARGE. compared the SMALL Total number amount of BASE jumps that were completed .???
Because, I think I have figured out this answer to the question and many people can attest to the fact that I am not even that bright.
.
Anybody Else think they have a Rational Explanation of, - (i will try to humble myself when saying this)
...what The Fuck is going on ????
.

[KMonster 0]

I wasn't there yet on Thursday but I thought there was a broken pelvis too.

The was under the impression that the broken coccyx ended up actually being broken lumbar vertibrae from compression fractures.

The broken arm or leg was both. I don't have any more details about that either though.

Lets not forget about the other impact that ended up with a partially fused spine and collapsed lung -- I talked to Ody today who visited him in the hospital and he is making an awesome recovery!

It was hard to get straight facts so if anyone can elaborate or correct any of that feel free.

[kslay 0]

It was interesting to see a group of first base course jumpers walk out with their "TeAcher" onto the darkside of the bridge to make a jump. The reason for this seemed to be so they could jump into the wind and not overshoot the landing? Well, the dude who broke his pelvis in the boulder field sure didnt overshoot the landing area... Neither did the next guy to go, who crash landed in between a huge boulder and a bush. Now I dont have nearly enough jumps to teach a first base course, but I would consider this to be not smart...someone please help me understand the instructors ideas for doing this.

[lifewithoutanet 0]

Never miss a chance to take a cheap shot, do ya?

C'mon, man...this is tiring. Ask your questions or pose your oppositions, but maybe elaborate a bit with a little information for those of us who weren't there and might not have been at the exit with the jumper.

-C.

[gweeks 1]

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Monday - Broken T12 vertebrae due to lost/blown toggle, rear riser flare too high and stall.

Both her toggles blew on opening. She steered to the tall grass in front of the main landing area with risers and riser flared at about 10 feet. The canopy stalled almost immediately causing her to land hard on her butt. She stood up, but people on the ground (to their credit) told her to lie back down. We waited for EMT's to arrive by boat and they made the decision to airlift her because a bumpy boat ride could have done more damage. She walked out of the hospital on her own power a few hours later. She is home now. She has a fractured t-12 and is expected to be fully recovered in about 6 weeks.

[JaapSuter 0]

Not directed at you gweeks, but...

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Both her toggles blew on opening.

Why?

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She steered to the tall grass in front of the main landing area

Why?

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and riser flared at about 10 feet.

Why?

...may not have been wearing armor?...

Why?

I like water, it's very soft. It has cost me three cellphones so far, but my T-12 is still okay.

I like practicing rear-riser landings on the dropzone. People look funny at me, but my T-12 is still okay.

I like body armor, it's very sweaty on hot summer days but my T-12 is still okay.

Of course I could still fracture my T-12 on my next jump. So take this with a grain of salt.

[pBASEtobe 0]

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I thought there was a broken pelvis too.

The broken hip bone I mentioned was meant to be refering to the broken pelvis. Pelvis, hip bone, iliac crest...whatever.

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the broken coccyx ended up actually being broken lumbar vertibrae from compression fractures.

Yup, that was the Monday lost toggle incident.

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The broken arm or leg was both. I don't have any more details about that either though.

Oops!

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Lets not forget about the other impact that ended up with a partially fused spine and collapsed lung

Yeah, I left that one out because it wasn't minor.
But you're right, let's not forget it!

Ooh, not bad. Anyone have more info on the broken arm and leg on Monday?

[Amanduh 0]

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The broken arm or leg was both. I don't have any more details about that either though.

Broken right ankle and right wrist. Flared too high..

[Ten48 0]

I've been asking that question, too.

WTF?

It's time now! My time now! Give me mine. Give me my wings! - MJK

[brokebackBASE 0]

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much better indicators of what we can expect in the coming years

A guy makes his first jump (PCA), doesn't unstow the brakes, pulls on front riser loops when everybody on the bridge is yelling, "Pop the toggles!!! Pop the toggles!!!", shlares the tarp with front seat belts and lands on the Bitch without a scratch. I think it's a damn good indicator.

I was told and may have been bad info that this guy had zero BASE jumps as well as zero skydives. I watched him from the side fly straight forward after opening into the mud with both hands pulling on front risers.

[hookitt 0]

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...what The Fuck is going on ????

That's an easy one.

Publicity
Not enough rigging preparation
Not enough canopy control preparation
Not enough mental preparation

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[kslay 0]

I just explained it to ya buddy, did you read it? HOw about explaining to me the sense of doing that, since you seem to think its nothing but a cheap shot.

[avenfoto 0]

That's an easy one.

too muchPublicity
Not enough rigging preparation
Not enough canopy control preparation
Not enough mental preparation

there ... better

[SullyFlyer 0]

The sense of doing it is that it was a safer place to do that drill. A head wind on one side is a tail wind on the other. That way they could make one turn and land instead of doing 2 turns. The theory makes sense to me.
They were supposed to land on the beach. They made a mistake. I know I make mistakes.

Tom is one jumper who thinks of all scenarios before jumping. He himself landed in the water earlier that day(hoseing his cell phone and radio) because he didn't want to turn low.

Tom is a good teacher.

If you want to flame Tom, try his fasion sense. You'll have a lot more luck there.

Be Safe
-Bill

[lifewithoutanet 0]

You explained nothing but what was obvious to the people who weren't at the exit point. They chose that side for the exit.

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"The reason for this seemed to be so they could jump into the wind and not overshoot the landing?"

That's not very substantial information. Do you know this for sure or is that just your assumption?

Did he float the exit? What type of delay was the jumper supposed to take and did he stick to it? Did he open on-heading?

You know exactly why I was calling it a cheap shot and it's just fucking tiring. You seem intent on taking the piss out of someone every chance you get. You were there...how about you enlighten us with the facts and why you think it was such a stupid decision? Back your claims up with thoughts of your own if you disagree with something. Hell, that much I'd respect.

-C.

[hookitt 0]

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Well, the dude who broke his pelvis in the boulder field sure didnt overshoot the landing area...

Why did he break his pelvis? What was his landing approach? Sounds like a canopy control issue.

I land in that field all the time. It's a good landing area.

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Neither did the next guy to go, who crash landed in between a huge boulder and a bush.

Another canopy control issue?

Have you seen other landing areas that get used in other situations? Makes the boulder field look quite nice.

You're kidding yourself if you think it wasn't the jumpers fault.

3000 feet of canopy time to land anywhere on a flat skydiving dropzone is easy. If that time is used to practice a certain amount of accuracy, landing in the boulder field is easy. If landing in a turn or downwind is the only option remaining... the water 50 feet over is always available.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[Treejumps 0]

I was in the LZ when the jump in question took place. I did not see the freefall, but looked up when I heard the opening. It had sounded fairly low, and it was by slider down standards. I can't pronounce his name (Finnish), but he told me he had done a floater, and had been deep due to not so great stability. He had a good chance to take the beach or water, but under pressure he headed more or less straight forward and landed in the bolder field by the trail head and smacked a giant boulder. It looked and sounded like a bone snapping. He had a nasty gash to his hand and his nose was bloody, but no bones sticking out. Further inspection reveled a large bruise on his right hip. From his condition I guessed no break, but it turned out to be a chipped/cracked pelvis. Winds were probably 5 to 10 tail wind. I did not find out the jump was from the far side until later, and I'm not sure it makes a difference. The same jump and from the normal side would have had similar if not worse results.

That was one tough Finn given the impact and blood all over his gear.

Cya

[SullyFlyer 0]

I was half way up the hill and saw the canopy flight. It wasn't good. He was very low when he made his decision. I believe he put himself low while trying out his riser turns. These tend to eat up a lot of altitude.

He landed down wind on the right side (south side) of the boulder field (the path is on the left side - less boulders). He hit one hip-high boulder thighs first and rolled over it. Me and Ron thought for sure he had multiple femurs. He hit hard!!!

If at any time you hit a boulder down wind with a perfectly flyable canopy, you made a mistake. I think our Finish friend will agry that he made a piloting error.

Edited to add: Just saw Tree's post before me. That's a good account, I must have been mistaken about what got him so low.