Best PLF story

[PLFXpert 0]

Most of us have had an off-DZ landing at some point in our skydiving lives. What's your story? Here's mine:

On my 14th jump, the winds were super-high and by the time we got to altitude there was NO visible ground anywhere. You couldn't even see the beach. I didn't know about the rules, at this time, and no-one told me I shouldn't be jumping in those kind of high winds. Everyone on the load was debating whether or not to get out b/c you really couldn't see shit. But they decided to "estimate" and get out, so, I did, too.

NO-ONE landed on the DZ. I was in a cloud almost my entire descent. I spiraled my canopy down until I got out of the cloud at about 600ft. At this point, I saw the DZ about a mile away. Ha ha ha. I also saw other canopies landing on the road. Not wanting to land on the road on my 14th jump, not knowing where the power lines were, I decided to try for this big open field just pass this swamp full of trees.

I landed 10 feet away from the big open field and PLF'd into the top of a tree and slowly fell into the swamp. Ha ha ha ha!

I wiped myself off, gathered my canopy and waited for my rescue. Everyone at the DZ was f'cking w/ me showing me the "holes" in my canopy. (They were really just the cells in my canopy but at 14 jumps I didn't know any better.) But, alas, I was OK and my equipment was fine so I packed it up and made another jump right after that.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[skyboyblue 0]

wasn't there to see it but did see the video of the aftermath. Young jumper was the last to land on a very nice day. Wasn't sure if he could turn into the wind in time, so he flew some 100yds or so WAY over the pea pit and made no attempt to turn. He had plenty of time, just inexperienced. flew himself right into a very tall thicket of bushes. He fell through and canopy was caught on top. Tried to get out but was getting severly poked from the needles so he took a seat, while his cousin, who put him out ran over and said 'are you ok...I gotta run.' and left. I guess the wife was calling. The rest of the gang had to use chain saws to extract him. You can barely see him in the video it was so thick. He was ok, gear was ok, ego prolly not so ok. someone constructed a memorial and mounted it in cement for path they cut out. thicket(his nickname) found a old chainsaw and painted it gold and mounted in on plaque.

my own plf story is short. the only time I jumped a round. saved my ass.

sbb

[dterrick 0]

My first off-DZ landing happened on my A license Beer jump on Canada Day (July 1st national holiday). I and 5 others had just finished an intensive 3 day skills camp to get our RW endorsements. The weather was steenkin hot (+/- 100 on the ground and 110 in the Cessna until altitude) and humid - the kind of heat that really tests your mettle. Of course with heat comes a voracious thirst and we celebrated our national holiday EACH night with many beverages.

(there's the setup for the Monday morning jump)

So first load of Monday I go out on my A pending RW jump with a very experienced jumper/coach/tandemmaster for a 'fun' 2 way. I'm in the JM seat and will be flying the crotch so I'm not spotting and need to trust my 'senior' on the spot ... and the WDI got lost about halfway down. No biggie, it looked like a 'normal' day so we took 'normal jumprun'. I wasn't paying much attention to the windsock(s) as the weather had been consistent for 5 days and I'd only taken one serious crosswinder thus far.

It was a bit turbulent on the way up and the plane was working hard. Indeed when we got to jumprun altitude we were on a dowind spot so Duncan the pilot pulled an aggressive 'U turn' over the bowl. IMMEDIATELY Garth called DOOR! and exit the plane. I was slow to my feet coming from JM seat (another 'first') and as I was steadying myself to exit, the plane REALLY started to buffet (can you say STALL boyz and girlz?... I knew you could - sometimes ignorsance IS bliss)

"@#$@# what are you doing Duncan?" I thought - perhaps this is my 'A' Initiation? We left and did a great 2 way leaving 2 more on the plane who used the same pass. Apparently we were about a mile long and group 2 was even farther out.

***

When I realized I wasn't going to make it back and didn't know the winds I tried to complete the ground refernce turn checks but I was already down to final altitude. I picked the farmer's field below me - what else to do? Apparently I was downwind. Ground speed was HUUUGE compared to my 7 cell F111's typical 'accuracy drop' behaviour in anything but no wind.

I ALMOST pulled it off. Thankfully the field has nothing but 'salad greens' for plants and it was nice and soft. My initial heel prints were 4-5 inches deep into the soft soil and then tapered to NOTHING. Then the 'trench' began. total length of my 'swoop' was 20 paces - somewhere around 80 feet. I had dirt UNDER my skin tight jumpsuit and everywhere else.

So began the para-hike to DZ, un-injured. The SAR team found me a mile away. The other pair were two miles away, all uninjured. My senior made it back, just, because he pulled high after breakoff.
This "spot", by the way, jointly earned the pilot and my jump partner the 'Helen Keller Spotting Award' for the season. We all still look back and laugh. How easy would a go-around have been? Naaah.

Dave T

Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

[weid14 0]

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I ALMOST pulled it off. Thankfully the field has nothing but 'salad greens' for plants and it was nice and soft. My initial heel prints were 4-5 inches deep into the soft soil and then tapered to NOTHING. Then the 'trench' began. total length of my 'swoop' was 20 paces - somewhere around 80 feet. I had dirt UNDER my skin tight jumpsuit and everywhere else.

hahahhaha, I know the feeling, Perris Valley, short spot freshly plowed dirt bowl. came in hot, took one step, foot stuck, I hit face first, and this the day before nationals, I had dirt everywhere. laundered my jump suit in the bathtub three times and washed my harness the best I could, my teammate coming in after me said it looked like Wylie Coyote on bugs bunny, pretty funny

[jtval 0]

damn. I still havent plf'd maybe i should try?

My photos

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[weid14 0]

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damn. I still havent plf'd maybe i should try?

oh, not unless you have to, the ground was really soft, and I sunk as soon as I put a foot down, had brand new white gloves for the meet... dirt everywhere, plus i had to walk back in front of everyone, who got a kick out of my newfound pig-pen look

[Remster 24]

Was supposed to be a xcountry, but 3/4 of the way up, a storm was comming in and FUBARed the winds.... we jumped at 7K instead of the 9k planned

None of us made it anywhere close to the dz, and the pilot told us the wind had changed direction 180 deg, so we all were pretty freaking confused... found a field, cut the error margin in 1/2 and landed xwind....

Remster

[happythoughts 0]

A guy just off student status came out to the dz with his wife. His wife was going to take pics of his landing. She stood a little outside of the landing area so that he could have an unobstructed landing pattern and come right towards her. During his approach she moved a little close to the hangar...and a little closer...he is on final...bang.

He lands right on the roof of the hangar. Didn't even see it coming up. Of course, the roof is too high and he has to wait for the fire dept ladder truck to get him down. The rest of us stood below offering "sympathetic" comments about his plight. Style and accuracy at its best.

[weid14 0]

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A guy just off student status came out to the dz with his wife. His wife was going to take pics of his landing. She stood a little outside of the landing area so that he could have an unobstructed landing pattern and come right towards her. During his approach she moved a little close to the hangar...and a little closer...he is on final...bang.

He lands right on the roof of the hangar. Didn't even see it coming up. Of course, the roof is too high and he has to wait for the fire dept ladder truck to get him down. The rest of us stood below offering "sympathetic" comments about his plight. Style and accuracy at its best.

that's funny, Billy Andrews was relating that story about that guy two weeks ago, I laughed then too, unfortunately for the guy it was a "Florida" day, too, right? nice and hot, but no shade on the roof and it took a little while for the trucks to show up.

[Remster 24]

oooh ooh ooh

theres that other xcontry, at Espace this time, and again, the freaking winds changed on us (thats our excuse anyways... lol) we landed about 2 km away..... lmao ... wasnt a plf but a funny one


oooh oooh oooh

there also that 2nd CReW jump atr Quincy, 2 guys had a wrap so we followed the bits and pieces and I kinda muffed the landing (2nd time under a lightning 193 when i jumped a Sabre 210) in a cow field (not a cow patty luckily.. lol)... those cows can look pretty scary when they all start moving towards ya!

Remster

[skygal3 0]

lol...sounds just like me, after my first AFF jump...the winds shifted so I was steering west, right into the dirt instead of the peas. I am waiting for the radio guy's instructions, he said "flare", I head "kkkkkkkkkkkkkk"...radio went out, performed absolutely no flare what so ever, but I managed to pull off a *perfect* plf, not a scratch on me, however, as soon as I hit the ground, a huge dirt storm encompassed me. I quickly stood up, dirt everywhere...walked back to the loft dusting myself off...needless to say, the video is pretty funny. The cameraman laughed at me, calling my landing "not the most graceful"...

[DJL 232]

Got chased by horses and a cow.

We were doing a 3 man CRW jump on the sunset load. Uppers had been 55 kts but had started to die off towards the end of the day so we didn't take our spot out so far. Then, what would ya know, they actually increased right at sunset. We got out and started chasing the base pin who headed straight downwind. He was also floating on us, so me and the other guy just docked and turned it into the wind. By this time we were at the point of no return. The two of us broke and front risered towards a school and some open fields. The third guy took off and headed towards an area with no houses for miles.

As I was coming in I saw something walking across the field so I yelled down. The as I turned for final I saw more things and more things and they all had four legs, I said, "oh shit." So I landed and started getting my stuff together and was looking at the horses and a cow and they all looked a bit pissed. It was kind of a "what the fuck does this bird think it's doing on our turf" kind of look. Then they charged. I picked up my canopy and started waving it in the air. They were kicking up on their hind legs, not way up but just stamping a bit. So I took off in a run towards the front of the property. They ran ahead of me and cut me off and started walking up to me from the front. I angled towards a fence a bit and waved my canopy at them and then started walking at them. They finally split to the side and I just walked the rest of the way off of the property.

The guy who had landed apart from us (big no-no for crw) landed in a clear cut area and it about two and a half hours to find his way to the road, where someone from the DZ found him.

-doug

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[happythoughts 0]

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that's funny, Billy Andrews was relating that story about that guy two weeks ago, I laughed then too, unfortunately for the guy it was a "Florida" day, too, right? nice and hot, but no shade on the roof and it took a little while for the trucks to show up.

That would be the guy. He was up there on that metal roof for a longggg time. Over an hour and I think, almost 2. Oh well, if you're gonna be stupid, ya gotta be tough. It was the source of a lot of good humor.

[Iflyme 0]

Bad spot on a helicopter load at the Kamloops boogie (I think they were spotting us away from the jump runs of the winged aircraft) ... I did a downwinder in the camping area ... my first PLF ... it was awesome, though ... had a nice rosy road rash on the back of my backside for a few days, but it didn't prevent me from jumping! One of my buddies on that load landed 1/2 way up a big steep hill near the dz -- under a 78' xaos!

[tigra 0]

I've got a few. A cow pasture comes to mind- that was NOT pretty! It was kind of windy, the uppers were honking, we were first out and I was trying to spot. (Something I suck at!) I left before the green light because it seemed like the pilot was going sooo far from the dz.... Of course I knew pretty early on we were screwed, and I was looking for a field to land in, and there I am heading for this cow pasture, with cows and a fence, and I kind of freaked and turned to avoid the fence and just sort of plf'd/ slid in. Talk about a shitty landing!!! YUK!!!
I started drinking early that day- as soon as I got jumpsuit in the washer!!!!

But the funniest happened to a friend of mine. He was still pretty new to the sport but licensed. He was on a business trip in Vegas. He decided he wanted to jump and went to the dz there (not sure which one.....) and rented gear. He was used to our student gear, (javelins with a rip cord at the time), and I guess on the gear he rented, the rip cord was higher up or something?? Anyway, he made his jump and when it was time to deploy, he could not find his handle, so he went for the reserve. He landed on his ass, on a cactus!! I just wish someone had video!!!

[wmw999 2,131]

I've had 1 first jump students break her ankle during PLF training -- does that count? Another broke his leg during cutaway training (we obviously should have covered PLFs first).

I've had lots and lots of PLFs. The best part about a decent PLF is you get up and walk away. I just love that part of it...

Wendy W.

[VivaHeadDown 0]

Was ground launching off a steep hill a couple hundred feet high. I'm a novice swooper, but had been practicing ground launching my 135 so was ready to go on this new hill. Didn't help that there was a camera, and a couple pro swoopers who we were introducing to ground launching. I was loving it! They were, generally, getting all cut up, landing on rocks, having to run down the hill because they'd never get off the ground, and the hill was not a pretty slope. By about my 4th time down, I decided to show off, stall the canopy over a road that was half way down, and 90* to the line of flight.
Learned two great things that day:
1. Where the exact stall point of my canopy is.
2. Finding it on a downhill slope with jagged rocks and trying to turn was a bad idea, but thank God for PLF! And I hit the road so it was technically a success.
My hands got pretty chewed up, but when I got back up to the top, a nice breaze was coming in, and the sun was just setting, so I had to make one more before the pain set it. Parachutes are a beautiful thing!

Don't Confuse Me With My Own Words

[Jimbo 0]

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Most of us have had an off-DZ landing at some point in our skydiving lives. What's your story?

Not mine, but Stacy hook turned right into a cow at the CSS Easter boogie a few years ago.
-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[Stacy 0]

THERE WAS NO COW!!! ALright cajun cowboy tree hugger, lets intentionally try to land off, miss, and land in a tree, how about that? what about hookign our canopies on the windsock or swooping the roof?? hmmm?

[Jimbo 0]

You're just jealous.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[Stacy 0]

jealous, no. laughing, yes.

[kingmonkeeking 0]

Easy,
Jump 3 at Ft. Benning. The JM said it was 13 Knots on the ground. We know what that means. Hmmm... maybe you don't, as the old joke goes, How do you drop the wind to 13 knots, put 3 C-141's in the air.

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Please take into account new guy panic here and assume an "I think" at the begining of every sentence. They tell you to pull your slip at 250 and hold it. I pulled my slip and turned 180 so I was now running with the wind. Changed it up to compensate. Unfortunately their was a black hat on the ground with a megafone screaming "I said hold what you got Airborne". I went back to the original slip and was screaming along the ground 15-20 mph. Did just like I was supposed to. Hit, shift, rotate, bounce 3 feet in the air and land in your suspension lines get dragged untill some kind soul comes and jumps on the canopy. Wouldn't have had a single mark if I'd remembered to untie the 2 x 4 that was pretending to be my weapon. The dzso came and asked me why the hell I had pulled the opposite slip a smart guy would and I said because I was told to. Home free. PLF's realy work.

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[kevin922 0]

I've had 2 during my jumping carrer.. one when I was a student and unintentional, and one intentional just a few weeks ago.

#1) I was under a big ass student canopy and not paying attention to the wind direction.. found myself going backwards away from the dropzone under canopy.. so i had to find a good place to land... once I realized i wasn't making it back I went with the wind down over some power lines.. turned it back around into the wind and landed on someone's driveway.. about i'd say 400 feet from the power lines... i was quite impressed

#2) One of the jumpers in my group had a cutaway due to a lineover, I followed his canopy and freebag down into a cow field.. landed within 2 steps of the freebag (my target) and avoided the cow shit :)

It was fun!

[freeflir29 0]

2 good ones.....first......Night training jump in the military. Jumping a T-10 I think. Unusually dark night. Remember at about 200 ft looking down and realizing I was going backwards. Really fast backwards!!! Lowered my equipment and then pulled a one riser slip to try and turn around. Nothin doin. No time left.....pulled down both front risers to try and slow down. Heard my ruck smack the ground hard. Let up on the risers and clenched my chin onto my chest. Hit the ground hard and went backwards. As hard as I tried I couldn't keep my head off the ground. Remember feeling my helmet smack me in the back of the head. Feet came all the way over and the momentum sat me up. I immediately puked up whatever was left in my stomach. "Hmmm....I think I just got a concussion." Wasn't bad though. I just drank some water and then spent the next 5 hours walking through swamps. Yahhhh!!!!

Second story is much funnier. Civilian skydive #3. I had been quite impressed by the forward speed of square parachutes. It was pretty cool after being used to rounds. Well...between my 2nd and 3rd jumps the wind went from 5-7 to around 12-14. I had been doing really well with canopy control so they had no reservations about letting me go up. Well...I had been having to make some S turns on final. So...this time I set up a bit longer. Turn to final and "Oh shit!! I'm not going forward." Like a dumbass I was set up over trees. BIG ONES!!! Greg sees that I'm getting myself into trouble so he tells me to turn 180 right. Trying to get me over the road so maybe I'll catch a thermal. I of course...(Cause I know everything) turn left and stay over the trees. I damn near made it. Another 20 feet and I would have been OK. I remember just above the trees thinking about whether I I should try and hang myself in the top or fly into a hole and go all the way through. I had been taught to try and get caught on the branches. I chickened out of that at the last second and hauled down on the brakes right over a hole in the branches. Basically an accuracy landing but from like 50Ft up. About half way down I wasn't scared anymore because I knew I could PLF without injury from there. Whoa...steer left...miss the tree trunk. PLF.....it was like a soft T-10 landing really. Right next to the corner of the volley ball court. Where most of the Green beret club was sitting drinking beer since it was almost sunset. I still remember the shocked look on people's faces. They all came running over expecting me to be hurt. I just stood up and said......"Is that a beer line violation or an off DZ landing?" Either way...it had to be beer.

[spinmaster 0]

I have two good stories.

First - AFF level 1. I did a bad count launching of a C-182 strut. As a result the outboard instructor was a tad late letting go. Also, the inboard instructor who was hanging onto me was caught off guard and the result was that the two of us rotated a little more than is usual on the hill. I did all my checks as planned but the one instructor who was late leaving didn't see me check my rip-cord because the angle we were all at. When he finally cuaght up and got on the correct side I was finished. However, he wanted to make sure I knew where my rip cord was. So grabed my hand and put it on it. Not realising why he was doing this and knowing we were not at the pull altitude I looked at him and mouthed "Pull now?". Well, he had a full face helmut on so I couldn't see his reaction. And as taught in the class when in doubt - pull. So I did, at 8000'. Needless to say I blew way off the DZ, about a mile. Landed in a pasture 20 feet from barbwire fence on the left, 50 feet from trees on the right, and 30 feet from a pond behind me. And only the horse saw me stand it up.

Second - #30 Landed on the taxiway. Bad judment on my part for distances. Landed to fast to run it out and had to PLF on pavement after two steps. Thank God I had on an RW suit and a helmut. I ripped open one knee on the suit and bounced my head hard enough to know that without the helmut, I might have been really bad.

Those are my stories.

Dan