Had my first malfunction yesterday...

[twodarhythm 0]

I had my first malfunction yesterday, im not 100% sure but after talking to a friend of mine that is a coach, im thinkin it was a line over. Thought I'd share it with everyone.

So after the best solo ive had in awhile, I pull at 4,500ft. I have used the rig before and I expected it to open slowly, as it usually does. So im staring at the slider, all the way up near the canopy when I start to realize that im still falling faster than I should be. I pull on the risers and the slider finally comes down. I see that the left side of my canopy is almost completely folded under. I don't remember everything exactly as it happened but it looked to me like there were some loose lines flapping around.
I didnt panic, like I always assumed I would in a situation like this, I dont even remember really being scared. Fight or flight!
The next thing I know I start spinning and I felt like I was face down to earth. I grabbed and unstowed the toggles and flared. I had to play with them a little bit. As soon as the canopy looked like it was open, i saw my lines start to twist! Without even thinking, I grabbed the risers and pulled them apart as I bicycle kicked.
Finally, I felt myself slow down.
By the time my canopy was open and flyable, I was at about 2,600ft. My friend, who jumped out before me and pulled @ 4,000ft was way above me.

The whole experience was pretty empowering! It feels good to know that in that type of situation, I can do what I need to without even panicking or having to think. Everything I did was like an automatic reflex to the situation.
The feeling of falling faster than i would with an open canopy but slower than in freefall... that was a new one for me.

My friend told me that I was really lucky! I feel lucky. Glad that it happened and I didnt freak out.

It really made me realize again, how much I love the sport!

[darrenspooner 0]

Empowering is a good word. I felt like I got my wings the day I had my mal (#122). Knowing you can deal with a mal when need be is a real confidence booster

[thedude325 0]

Spinning mal; face down. I woulda been ready to chop with the quickness...

[JohnMitchell 14]

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The whole experience was pretty empowering! It feels good to know that in that type of situation, I can do what I need to without even panicking or having to think.

I remember laughing out loud under my reserve after my first cutaway (about 90 jumps, streamer). I couldn't believe how easy it was to handle and how much I had worried about handling that first malfunction.

Good job you did.

[mdrejhon 8]

Good job and watch your altitude.
I never had any mals I chopped from yet but I had a lineover earlier this summer..... After a breakoff as a bigway outer. That's one of them jumps you have to pull low to the BSR limit.

I pulled slightly under 2500. By the time it was fixed, I was a bit under 1500 feet. I was already thinking of chopping and instantly pulling silver a fraction of a second after.

However, one aggressive flare solved the problem. It all lasted less than 5 seconds for me, so I knew I didn't have much time. It was almost fully open, so I gave it one chance to fix. Still, watch the altitude, when you start pulling lower for any reason under a smaller parachute.

[firstime 0]

Good job, you did what had to be done, thats what the training is all about.

[brucet7 0]

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The whole experience was pretty empowering! It feels good to know that in that type of situation, I can do what I need to without even panicking or having to think. Everything I did was like an automatic reflex to the situation.

I had mine first yesterday and I totally understand the feeling of being ready. No panic, but lots of adrenaline. All those times on the plane practicing the hanles paid off.

POPS #10623; SOS #1672

[Derekbox 0]

Rich, I wont be back in Seb for a bit, you can buy me beer when I come pick up my new Iphone.

[twodarhythm 0]

LoL Alright Derek, sounds like a plan! Im going to have my license soon! Yay!

[Derekbox 0]

You are going to be buying a lot of beer, you should just hook it up and set me up with a 3gs.

[tbrown 26]

Nice work. I won't rain on your parade either, but I do want to add a word of caution. Maybe you just didn't mention it in your narrative, but I didn't see anything about checking your altitude as you worked with your problem. When you finally cleared it, you'd used up 1900 ft. You were still at 2600, which is just above the usual hard deck for your experience level. But if you'd pulled at 4 grand or 3500, you might have been down to 1500 ft - or lower. It's EASY to spend the rest of your life trying to fix a canopy that doesn't want to open.

Like I say, maybe you were checking your alti as you worked. But time & altitude melt away awfully fast in situations like this. And your 3 rings & reserve WILL actually work.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[George_ORH 0]

AS you can see I am very inexperienced in skydiving....I'm NOT bashing anything or anyone.
And I'm don't know if it would of been the right thing to do, But I think at the spinning point I would of cutaway and went reserve.....??

Would that of been the "wrong" thing to do? Or does it really come down to comfort at some instances?

***Due to recent cutbacks, The light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off***

[wolfriverjoe 1,346]

Not an instructor, take it for what it's worth.

But if the canopy isn't flyable, and you don't know if you can fix it, and your hard deck is approaching...

CHOP IT!!

NOW!!

A couple years ago I had a brake fire (one toggle released on opening). I stopped the spin, evaluated the canopy and kept it.

A week later, I was on the ground and watched another jumper open up into a spin. After a couple times around she chopped it. It turned out to be a brake fire too.
During the discussion that followed, we compared the two situations. My canopy was larger, lighter loading, and I had opened higher.
The conclusion was that we both made a correct decision for our individual situations.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[twodarhythm 0]

To be completely honest, I dont remember looking at my altimeter until my canopy was open. I omitted that because I know that I shouldve. It all happened really quickly and although I didnt check my altimeter, i remember being really aware of where the ground was. (as silly as that sounds)
I believe that if it had gone on any longer, I wouldve cut away. I just remember everything happening so fast, it seemd like it all happened in less than 5 seconds. not an excuse, just explaining my experience.

[mdrejhon 8]

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i remember being really aware of where the ground was. (as silly as that sounds)
I believe that if it had gone on any longer, I wouldve cut away. I just remember everything happening so fast, it seemd like it all happened in less than 5 seconds. not an excuse, just explaining my experience.

The ground becomes a backup altimeter at a familiar dropzone after I've broken off a big formation, and know what 2500 feet looks like. I usually never need to glance at my altimeter before I waveoff and pull, and I try to beat my audible flatline (LED flashing model).

So far I've been reliable, my deployment-completed altitudes fluctuate only 15% according to my Altitrack's automatically-recorded deployment altitudes. As good as glancing an altimeter now.

Except for those are the times I intentionally burn it down lower (2200 pull) to clear airspace reasons, but only rarely as it appears I've now become good at tracking - when I breakoff on the outer, I can see the inner waves and base breaking off below me just glancing downwards without bending my neck much downwards anymore!