Saw my first intentionally damaged rig

[pchapman 261]

I inspected a rig recently where a jumper's ex-boyfriend, also a jumper, had cut part way through one of the main lift webs.

The guy had made some veiled threats so the girl tried to keep her rig locked up when not in use at the DZ but one time it wasn't.

At least the damage was obvious on the front of the rig. Reserve risers were intact! I get the impression the guy was drunk or on drugs at the time, because it was pretty pointless damage, neither hidden nor totally destroying the rig.

There have been a few cases of rig sabotage reported over the years. My case here was trivial.

(The serious cases I recall: The cut reserve riser fatality in Belgium, cut reserve riser suicide in England, reserve pin tampering in Italy, paratrooper rig tampering in US, and serious injury in the USA after a well known skydiver's rig had reserve risers on one side cut. This is off the top of my head so I might not have the stories straight!)

Another time I did a repack for a girl because the rig had been at her boyfriend's when they broke up. All was OK but fact that she felt concerned enough to get an inspection says something.

[swoopfly 5]

hey


i was actually thinking of posting a related question so i will put it here.

If someone did mess with your rig, and it was found out. Would the police consider that something along the lines of attempted murder???? seeing as you screwed with a life saving device. just curious.

[Andy_Copland 0]

Remember the case of the British skydiver? Main bridle cut and reserve risers cut?

Attempted to open both parachutes but if i remember i think it was recorded as an open verdict, or even suicide.

Either way, at least yours was easy to spot and not all that damaging. Crazy people

1338

People aint made of nothin' but water and shit.

Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.

[antonija 0]

If you can prove in court (s)he messed with equipment in a way that could result in death, I don't see why not. Maybe not murder but manslaughter (if (s)he proved it was "only a joke", not a murder attempt)...

But if I found some one messing with my rig (with a knife like in this case) I would consider seriously hurting the stupid fuck and making sure his ability to talk and walk would be impaired indefinitely.

I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

[stratostar 5]

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reserve pin tampering in Italy,

You maybe thinking about the case in 96-97 (from mem) of a sleeve being machined that fit over the pin shaft, so when the ripcord was pulled the sleeve would stay in place. I was thinking Germany, but it was for sure in that part of the planet.

Skydiving mag did a story on it and had photos, this was pretty slick and would have been missed on a gear check by most people, the sleeved looked just like the shaft of a pin, only hollow and open on one end.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[Andrewwhyte 1]

Peter did you call the police? I really don't think you have an option. If there is violence later you may be called to explain why you didn't.

[pchapman 261]

I don't know the details yet but I believe the jumper is reporting things to the police.

(Stratostar: Good recall. That ripcord pin sleeve incident was the one I was thinking of.)

[BillyVance 34]

I think I remember Charlie Mullins discovering one of his reserve risers had been cut (sabotaged). Fortunately, he found it before going on a jump.

ETA: IIRC, he had a reserve ride shortly afterwards.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[mpohl 1]

Also this one from Germany, approx. 2000:

Lifetime Sentence for Skydive Murder
A 33 year old German skydiver was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison for the death of a female skydiver in Münster. The judge's decision stated it was proven the man sent the 31 year old woman to her death by manipulating her parachute because of an unrequited relationship. The convicted man confessed to the crime but later claimed his innocence. The young female jumped from 3000 meters (10.000 ft) unaware of the manipulation. Her main canopy, reserve and Cypres failed and she hit the ground at high speed.

He packed a (i) line-over malfunction on the main, (ii) cut the reserve pin cable, and (iii) had the Cypres loop routed outside the cutter.

[linestretch 0]

Do you have pics?

On a similar note, my xwife wanted me to repack her reserve and I didn't want to cuz I really wanted to rip her head off....thinking if anything happened to her, it could very easily come back to me because I was very vocal about it.

my pics & stuff!

[240m3srt 0]

Tampering with someones rig to hurt or kill them, what kind of person would do something like that? Thats the lowest of the low if you ask me. Totally chicken shit. Am i alone on this lol?

[riggerrob 558]

That reminds me of the DZO ordering me to repack the reserve of the DZ bully.
I refused!

[RiggerLee 61]

The police might not be the ones to contact. As I recall any tampering with a certified aircraft must be reported to the FBI. That law was in place even before 9/11. I'm not sure this comes under the same perview but it is a certified tso'd peace of equipment. It's certified through the MIDO just like the engion on your airplane. Viewed in that light it's not an option. If they decide that it falls under the same catigory then you could get in real trouble for not reporting it.

Lee

Lee
[email protected]
www.velocitysportswear.com

[BrianM 1]

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The police might not be the ones to contact. As I recall any tampering with a certified aircraft must be reported to the FBI. That law was in place even before 9/11. I'm not sure this comes under the same perview but it is a certified tso'd peace of equipment. It's certified through the MIDO just like the engion on your airplane. Viewed in that light it's not an option. If they decide that it falls under the same catigory then you could get in real trouble for not reporting it.

The OP is in Canada. The FBI definitely won't be interested! I have no idea if we have something similar in Canada - but skydiving gear is not regulated here like it is in the U.S., so I don't think it would apply even if such a law does exist here.

"It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

[pchapman 261]

Hi Lee,
In my case it happened in Canada, but that's an interesting observation for the US!

I haven't been able to find (after just a quick search) any similar law or reporting rule here in Canada, although there is a federal law about tampering with safety equipment on commercial aircraft.

Edit: I checked with the jumper. She is going to the police. It is good that there were witnesses at the DZ to the earlier threats of harm that are now clearly more than just words.

[Amazon 7]

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Hi Lee,
In my case it happened in Canada, but that's an interesting observation for the US!

I haven't been able to find (after just a quick search) any similar law or reporting rule here in Canada, although there is a federal law about tampering with safety equipment on commercial aircraft.

Edit: I checked with the jumper. She is going to the police. It is good that there were witnesses at the DZ to the earlier threats of harm that are now clearly more than just words.

I don't know if I missed it above.. but if the perp who did it is a skydiver... that would be good information to know for the skydiving community at large.

I went back and looked.. yes he is a jumper... THAT is something other women at DZ's need to be aware of.

[popsjumper 2]

My opinion: The name of the perp should be known to ALL of us. But, let's not get off on a legality issue of outing somebody prior to conviction.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[pchapman 261]

Despite feelings we might have about the guy, I don't think it is the time to go into exactly who and where. I don't even know the name for sure myself -- leaving the woman some privacy in the matter. I think the word has passed around, between the girls at the DZ.

[airtwardo 6]

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I don't know the details yet but I believe the jumper is reporting things to the police.

(Stratostar: Good recall. That ripcord pin sleeve incident was the one I was thinking of.)

Might also want to make a call to the feds, may not result in any action but just as important that they have the facts.

Years ago a good friend that had a loft was broken into and several rigs were sabotaged, most likely by a disgruntled former employee.

A report was made to the FAA, an inspector showed up and documented everything. If charges would have been made and proven we were told it very well could fall under a federal offense much the same as damaging an aircraft.

No charges could be proven so that one never went anywhere...but it may have been interesting if more had come of it.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[awagnon 0]

Just curious. Does this cause any heartburn about leaving your rig at the DZ just hanging on a rack? Does it pose any liability to the DZ if there was tampering of a rig left unattended at the DZ? Even something innocent like someone "borrowing it" when you aren't there and re-packing it incorrectly without you knowing.

Alton

"Luck favors the prepared."

[mcordell 2]

Various jurisdictions will charge differently, but in nearly every case it would likely be an issue of criminal damage to property, possibly felony depending on the cost and the felony/misdemeanor threshold in that jurisdiction. I don't know of any prosecutor who would charge something like attempted murder or agg assault unless someone unwittingly used the gear and almost got hurt or killed.

www.facebook.com/FlintHillsRigging

[BlindBrick 0]

We had a suicide in AR about a decade ago where the jumper placed a note in his main tray then cut all his risers. The really sad thing about it was that he asked the dzo's young daughter to get him the knife.

-Blind

"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

[Andy9o8 0]

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I don't know of any prosecutor who would charge something like attempted murder or agg assault unless someone unwittingly used the gear and almost got hurt or killed.

I disagree with you 100%. Tampering with a life-saving device with the knowledge that if it indeed fails as the result of the tampering, that that failure is likely to result in the user's death, is most certainly an attempted homicide. Whether or not the intended user actually uses the device (post-tampering) is absolutely immaterial to that offense. And you can bet your boots that responsible police and/or prosecutors will charge it as such.

I have to ask: On what basis do you say that?

[Andy9o8 0]

I realize liability laws are different in Canada than in the US. Nonetheless, there are good reasons to report this to the police immediately, despite the fact that she said she was going to:
1. Maybe she won't. You simply never know.
2. Even if she does, it lends credibility to her claim. You may presume that police would interview you, but that's only if (a) she gives the police your name, and (b) the police are being sufficiently diligent. Since each are based on human factors, neither is guaranteed.
3. You really do need to cover your ass in case something happens to her, especially if it's skydiving-related (but even if it's not). (There might even be a requirement under Canadian law for you to do so; although I really wouldn't know one way or the other...)

[GatorNation 0]

Quote

Quote

I don't know of any prosecutor who would charge something like attempted murder or agg assault unless someone unwittingly used the gear and almost got hurt or killed.

I disagree with you 100%. Tampering with a life-saving device with the knowledge that if it indeed fails as the result of the tampering, that that failure is likely to result in the user's death, is most certainly an attempted homicide. Whether or not the intended user actually uses the device (post-tampering) is absolutely immaterial to that offense. And you can bet your boots that responsible police and/or prosecutors will charge it as such.

I have to ask: On what basis do you say that?

Nah.. I don't think that a prosecutor will charge someone wil "attempted murder" when the rig was never used after the sabotage.