sort of odd mal the other day

[chifly1234 0]

I doubt much will come of this, but just curious if anyone has experienced/has any thoughts on what happened to me.

After a normal freefall, I was under a good main by 4300 feet; but noticed the reserve pc and bridle was out. Reserve bridle was wrapped around the main risers in front of me from right to left (importantly, i think the pull force was toward the front because of the way the bridle was wrapped, keeping the reserve freebag in the container...i'm a lucky motherfucker). I reeled as much of the PC/bridle in as i could and made it back without further incident. When i touched down, I felt the reserve/bag pop out of the container and lay on the ground next to me.

So the reserve pin popped right? The odd thing is that the rigger's seal on the reserve pin was somehow unbroken. the closing loop was fine. the reserve/cutaway handles were seated and everything in place. before the jump, the pin was checked by the packer, by me, by an experienced jumper on the ground, and again by a coach at ~10,000 feet and looked ok.

Seems to me that the reserve deployed as the main was coming out (it probably wasnt out in freefall cause then i'd have been riding a reserve down from up high; plus the reserve bridle wrapping around the front side of main risers suggests the bridle wasn't stretched out behind me as the main came out...i think...).

anyway, i'm just trying to wrap my mind around how this happened for the sake of not repeating it. I'm a student so could well have unknowingly done something dumb..e.g. bump reserve pin on the way out the door...but didnt feel anything like that. best we could come up with is that the pin got bumped/otherwise moved and then when the main deployed, it was just enough to pop the pin. seriously curious how the rigger's seal didn't break. the only thing that i didnt look at afterwards was if the container itself was somehow damaged near the pin, but that seems unlikely. any ideas?

[pchapman 261]

It is possible when putting the seal on to leave just a little too much slack. It's a little fiddly to position the seal just right on the threads with the bulky seal press, and leave some slack but not too much slack. Not ideal but it can happen from time to time.

If it wasn't the reserve pin being bumped or nearly pushed out at some point, how about the RSL? Routed correctly, enough slack at the right places, nothing changed from the usual? It could pop the reserve pin upon main canopy deployment.

Edit: That was a pretty heads-up response and post; good for a first post by a student!

[chifly1234 0]

I had jumped the rig several times before that day and RSL wasn't fiddled with or anything. For what it's worth, i was taught to take a look at the lanyard and make sure it looks ok (it did)...honestly though would i be able to tell if it had a little too much slack here or there?, probably not.

thanks for the reply. as for my response, i think i'm mostly lucky the way it played out and managed not to fuck it up worse (i should have reeled in the pc before unstowing my toggles, and i should have disconnected my RSL in prep for a two out).

[Hooknswoop 19]

What type of container?
What type of AAD?
Was the reserve closing loop cut?
Did anyone do anything to the AAD on the way to altitude?
Did you check the AAD back on the ground?
Is the AAD a multi-mode AAD?
Was there any sharp edges o the reserve closing flap grommets?

Derek V

[chifly1234 0]

Hooknswoop

What type of container?
What type of AAD?
Was the reserve closing loop cut?
Did anyone do anything to the AAD on the way to altitude?
Did you check the AAD back on the ground?
Is the AAD a multi-mode AAD?
Was there any sharp edges o the reserve closing flap grommets?

Derek V

Jav Odyssey
Cypress on student mode
closing loop intact
aad was checked on ground (prejump) and at ~10k
I didn't look at AAD myself after but i'm sure the riggers did, they didnt report anything
can't comment on closing flap grommets, presumably you're getting at abrasion on the closing loop though, and the loop was fine.

[Hooknswoop 19]

Any non-belly flying on the skydive?
On the ground, can you take the end of the seal thread and pull it past the end of the reserve ripcord pin?

Derek V

[chifly1234 0]

Hooknswoop

Any non-belly flying on the skydive?
On the ground, can you take the end of the seal thread and pull it past the end of the reserve ripcord pin?

Derek V

all belly flying. did some 360s. seal thread would not go back on/past the end of the pin.

[BIGUN 1,051]

RSL Routing?

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[Hooknswoop 19]

The loop wasn't cut and it didn't break, so the pin had to have been pulled. If the seal thread would not go back around the end of the ripcord pin and it didn't break when the pin was pulled, something is off.

The only way I know that is possible is the BPA reserve seal method or if it was installed so that it wouldn't break if the pin was pulled.

Did the rig have a Skyhook?

What type of reserve handle?

How much slack in the reserve ripcord cable at the reserve handle?

How did the rig fit you?

Derek V

[Squeak 17]

Hooknswoop

How much slack in the reserve ripcord cable at the reserve handle?

How did the rig fit you?

Derek V

This is where my thinking lies. possibly too much tension on the reserve cable and over flexing the rig.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[pchapman 261]

to the O.P.:
Are you a big guy?

I've seen it where a rig is OK "normally" but when there's an issue with RSL length or reserve ripcord length, and the rig is jumped by a big dude, it makes it more likely for the margins to disappear and cause a problem. If the harness is really filled, and opening forces are more, parts of the rig can stretch apart a little more. (It can also depend on rig design, to what degree the reserve container is sewn down to the top of the harness. Some designs have more open space and room to flex than others.)

[chifly1234 0]

I am pretty big. The rig fits pretty well...probably a little snug but it's the biggest rig i've ever put on (it's a C18, i'm 6'4" 225) so i'm not a great judge. I've jumped it quite a few (by which i mean like 20 haha) times, not that that really matters. This rig is fairly old and has seen a lot of use...maybe it's a little more stretchy than it was when new. Also I think my arch has been improving (getting deeper) lately so maybe that slight change in body position had some effect.

Rig has a standard RSL (no skyhook). There were about 3" of slack in the reserve cable, and it was moving freely on the ground before the jump). Reserve handle is a D handle. Rigger checked afterwards that the handle was appropriately sized.

still odd that the seal didnt break...but maybe it had just enough slack to let the pin slide by while under tension. cripes i hope i'm not too big for the rental gear--that could put the kibosh on my season...will have to discuss with the AFFIs.

[stayhigh 2]

Maybe the reserve pin got pushed upwards while you leaning on your rig on the way up to altitude and the other guy never really checked your reserve pin at 10000ft prior to jumping. Or it got pushed upwards after the pin check at 10000ft.

I know many who never checks someone else's reserve pin, unless directed to do so.

I know some who pretends that they've check the pin, and gives them a pat on the back and never really check any pins at all.

I know many people that would straight up refuse pin check by others prior to jumping.

I know some who doesn't even bother opening up the reserve flap at the start of the day.

I was guilty of not checking my gear throughly, until someone said, "What if someone cut your reserve cable last night? You don't even have a AAD."

Bernie Sanders for President 2016