Fatality: Twin Falls, Idaho, April 10, 2007

[AdamLanes 1]

Yea, the river was 49 degrees that day, and the guy was pretty lucky although he said he was sick for at least a week afterward. Luckily there was a boat down below that could have assisted but wasn't needed. I'm fairly positive he won't be doing that again unless the water is warmer!

[460 0]

another member of the base family has fallen. rest in peace.

condolances to his family and friends.

Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

[deadmanwalking 0]

Brrrrr... Still coughing

Symmetry doesn't matter.

[JennAnkney 0]

Do we know his name yet? I live in Mass and am trying to figure out who it is. Thanks in advance!

[TomAiello 25]

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Do we know his name yet? I live in Mass and am trying to figure out who it is. Thanks in advance!

"Yegor Drozdov of Revere, Mass."

It's already been posted in this thread, and reported in the Associated Press story linked in this thread.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[Mike111 0]

Please forgive this intrusion, i am not a base jumper.

If the report said wind was a factor in casuing the entanglement, then I was wondering how that does not happen to pilot chutes in skydiving since altitude winds can be very high? Sorry for the question bout skydiving just curious as to how the pilot chutes, unless thrown poorly in skydiving, don;t entangel with the body also?

Deepest condolences to friends and family of the deceased.

Thankyou,

Mike

[nicrussell 0]

This was NOT a skydiving death. It was a BASE jumping fatality. The winds traveling horizontally can exceed the speed the jumper is traveling through the air causing the pilot chute to act differently than at a higher fall rate, such as in the skydiving environment. However it is possible to entangle yourself skydiving too, just not the same way.

[Mike111 0]

Ahhh right. Thankyou for the explanation.

Mike

[Para_Frog 1]

Because even a hop and pop in a Twin Otter will give you 90+ kts airspeed = headwind. That's a lot of air to work things out.

In BASE, you have zero airspeed at exit. That's basic - here's a little more detail:

Airspeed

A 45 kt gust will impact that issue significantly - particularly if it's rotoring or coming from an odd angle.

- Harvey, BASE 1232
TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA

BLiNC Magazine Team Member

[TomAiello 25]

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If the report said wind was a factor in casuing the entanglement, then I was wondering how that does not happen to pilot chutes in skydiving since altitude winds can be very high?

The difference is the speed of the wind relative to the jumper. On a skydive, the jumper has generally accelerated to terminal velocity, so the only important wind is the relative wind, which pretty much blows straight up (also consider that the jumper is moving at the same rate as the wind at altitude, since he has already been accelerated to it's rate during the skydive).

On a short delay BASE jump, you may not yet have accelerated to the speed of the wind, nor is there always sufficient relative wind to overcome the absolute wind. The absolute wind is very important to our deployments and openings, where it is basically ignored in skydiving.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[diablopilot 2]

THe station you're getting your information from is NOT located at or near the exit point.

Obviously the conditions were not safe for jumping, why would you say they were?

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[diablopilot 2]

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Don't forget the problem of landing in water that is cold or fast moving. Too many people erroneously believe that landing in the river is an acceptable "out" during the winter. You wouldn't believe how many people I saw jumping over the middle of the river when the water temps were in the 30s! At least this guy was "smart" enough to jump over the land (the water is still fairly cold).

Ask the "Gambler" about cold water. Oh, wait. You can't.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[gauleyguide 0]

There is a movie on SkydivingMovies.com Its under the "newest"videos, It is titled "MAL_video", It shows a guy pitch out and forward and the PC gets blown back towards his feet (horizontaly)before hitting bridal stretch and going vertical. Pretty easy to see how slower FF speeds and strong winds could cause a serious low alt. problem.

"Don't keep your pilot chute a secret"

[yuri_base 1]

It makes sense to go intentionally little headlow on tailwind jumps (i.e. by transitioning into track position immediately after exit and making symmetric pull) to eliminate the chance of bridle blowing under your arm.

For example, you make a 2s delay in 20mph tailwind. Your vertical speed in 2s is 43mph. The PC is extracted along the relative wind line which is atan(20/43) = 25 degrees to vertical. If your body is 25 degrees headlow, the extraction will be perpendicular to your body as if you pulled flat in zero wind.

But if you're used to exiting headhigh and don't adjust it for the tailwind...

Android+Wear/iOS/Windows apps:
L/D Vario, Smart Altimeter, Rockdrop Pro, Wingsuit FAP
iOS only: L/D Magic
Windows only: WS Studio

[base935 0]

One thing that I didn't notice yet is the idea of going handheld if the wind is coming from behind.

What is your opinion, Tom Aiello?

Gravity Research Institute

[nicrussell 0]

im not tom however,

Hand held (imo) is a safe method w a tailwind, but your bridle still can entange though. ALso some exit points dont make this easy. If you do go stowed this is what i do:

1. make a SOLID grip on PC
2. extract pc to full arm stretch palm up (PC above hand).
3. release, rotate arm counter clockwise.

[AndrewKarnowski 0]

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THe station you're getting your information from is NOT located at or near the exit point.

Obviously the conditions were not safe for jumping, why would you say they were?

in the interest of wind data, here is an image with the data for the nearest 4 weather stations i could find on the date of the 10th.

[Calvin19 0]

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im not tom however,

Hand held (imo) is a safe method w a tailwind, but your bridle still can entange though. ALso some exit points dont make this easy. If you do go stowed this is what i do:

1. make a SOLID grip on PC
2. extract pc to full arm stretch palm up (PC above hand).
3. release, rotate arm counter clockwise.

do you meen in wind? or in calm? this seems good for ALL stowed regular jumps.

for a tailwind of any good measure...

I would (do the same things you described)

but do it REALLY head low. like if the bridge is cooking at 25mph, and i was for some retarded reason jumping, i would do a floater head high, or i would be dirty head low. 45 degrees at least.

[skreamer 1]

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But if you're used to exiting headhigh and don't adjust it for the tailwind...

If the winds are so strong that you have to put yourself intentionally head down on a short delay then maybe not jumping is the sensible option.

[pocbase 0]

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If the winds are so strong that you have to put yourself intentionally head down on a short delay then maybe not jumping is the sensible option. it's not jumpable.

Fixed

The bums will never win Lebowski, the bums will never win!
Enfin j'ai trouvé:
Bieeeen

[sabre210 0]

Quote

Quote

If the winds are so strong that you have to put yourself intentionally head down on a short delay then maybe not jumping is the sensible option. it's not jumpable.

Re-fixed. His version was better.

[wwarped 0]

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For example, you make a 2s delay in 20mph tailwind. Your vertical speed in 2s is 43mph. The PC is extracted along the relative wind line which is atan(20/43) = 25 degrees to vertical. If your body is 25 degrees headlow, the extraction will be perpendicular to your body as if you pulled flat in zero wind.

nice theory.

BASE tends to be very personal. every jumper defines "low" differently. some will static line what others freefall. the best idea is to start conservative and develop skills. as a jumper increases their abilities, they can accept additional, um, "challenges."

you can not remove the risk from jumps, but it can be minimized.

this concept applies to windy conditions. normally high winds contain turbulence, which is inherently unpredictable. the deck of the bridge will experience certain winds, anyone falling in the lee of the bridge will experience different (probably more turbulent) air.

if someone spends the time jumping a particular object in varying winds, they may develop an understanding of what they can handle at that site.

your numbers and theory can provide a false sense of security. will the jumpers have the required discipline to wait 2 full seconds? will they nail the body position? can they nail the body position in that site's turbulence? what will happen if not?

unfortunately, your theory sounds like rationalization for someone determined to jump. not a correct way to evaluate an object.

DON'T PANIC
The lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.
sloppy habits -> sloppy jumps -> injury or worse

[pocbase 0]

Well....... that's just your opinion man.

If the winds are so strong that you have to put yourself intentionally head down on a short delay then maybe not jumping is the sensible option. it's not jumpable. it's not landable.



ok getting a little carried away here

The bums will never win Lebowski, the bums will never win!
Enfin j'ai trouvé:
Bieeeen

[Ronald 0]

1. make a SOLID grip on PC
2. extract pc to full arm stretch palm up (PC above hand).
Add: keep your arm fully stretched up to throwing the PC
3. release, rotate arm counter clockwise.

[base283 0]

Are you building a device that will tell you when you are 25° headlow or can you just sense it?
take care,
space