Hand caught in line/riser twists

[bradp 0]

I deployed my main (Crossfire2 105) and it appeared to deploying beautifully. I already had both my hands on rear risers as I always do to steer the canopy if needed. But just as it was about to reach full line stretch, the canopy spun 720 degrees into line twists and started to go into a viscious horizontal spiral. It had spun up so much that my right hand fingers got caught in the riser twists. I had to rip my hand out of my glove to get it loose, leaving my glove behind. Luckily in this case it was just my fingers stuck and only took me about 2 seconds to get my hand free.

The reason for this malfunction was due to my left toggle prematurely releasing. The riser needs to be sent to a rigger to make the pocket that the toggle slots into a bit tighter so this wont happen again.

BUT...this experience has made me think about a few potential scenarios.

What could potentially happen if one could not free their hand from the risers? If you had to cutaway with one of your hands still stuck in your riser could that potentially rip your arm out of its socket? I would imagine in most cases releasing the pressure by cutting away would just cause the risers to unravel and release from your hand. If the riser twists were entangled around your hand which has an altimeter on that could potentially worsen the situation.

Has anyone heard of many incidents like this happening where people have gotten their hands stuck in riser twists?

Please share your thoughts on this topic.

Every experience is part of the learning curve.

Blueskies
Brad

[piisfish 137]

Quote

I deployed my main (Crossfire2 105) and it appeared to deploying beautifully. I already had both my hands on rear risers as I always do to steer the canopy if needed. But just as it was about to reach full line stretch,

how can your canopy be deploying beautifully before linestretch ??

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[bradp 0]

It appeared to be deploying normally while its was snivelling and the slider was still up. and then suddenly spun 720 degrees around into line twists (due to the 1 toggle being released) when the slider came down. Apologies. I may be using the term line stretch incorrectly here.

Do you want me to send you the video so you can see for yourself?

[piisfish 137]

Yes please, upload the video on skydivingmovies. It can have some learning value for everyone.

As I understand, linestretch was already reached. But again my terminology might be wrong too.

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[FrancoR 0]

Quote

Has anyone heard of many incidents like this happening where people have gotten their hands stuck in riser twists?

Yes, years ago a just licenced jumper had his hand cought in the risers or the lines just above, but if i remember corrctly he was not in line twists. He cut away wich cleared his hand and pulled reserve.
Since then my hands don't go up there until the canopy is open. My canopy is slow enough to have enough time to steer if need be. Can't steer the canopy until it is open anyway.

Franco

If it does not cost anything you are the product.

[Peej 0]

That's weird, someone, Hugh Newman i think, was telling me a story about this happening to someone just this past weekend...

My hands are in my chest area when i deploy so they can go to my risers to fight linetwists or to my handles.

Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky

[bradp 0]

Heres a link to the video of it that I uploaded to skydivingmovies.

http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=3942

[piisfish 137]

thanks for posting it. It comforts me in my idea of not putting my hands up there during opening but just after slider comes down. I try to usually fly my opening with my butt. Wingsuiting helps to develop butt skills

nice job though for fighting your risers and getting your hands out of that trap.

I also love my PD-R and my Techno

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[rsibbald 0]

I got my entire right arm caught in between twisted risers on my Safire after trying something stupid. Apart from not doing silly things anymore, I changed two things about my jumps as a result of this:

1.) Previously, I only carried a leg mounted hook knife. This experience made me realise that if my arm on that side was incapacitated or entangled, that I couldn't reach my knife with my other hand. I now always carry a chest-mounted knife as well.

2.) I have also started practicing one-handed reserve drills.

[tkhayes 328]

DON'T ever stick your hands up in the risers during deployment, that simple, you will eventually get bit, stuck, cut, broken fingers, whatever.

Find a place to put your hands durign the opening shock, on your mudflaps, or if you have a full-face helmet, hold the chip guard of your helmet - it steadies your head and gives your hands something to do.