Skydiving after scarey mal

[popsjumper 2]

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Possibly the main came out when the reserve left the container as it had eased the pressure on it.
Which is why FJC tells us to cutaway a deployed main no matter what.

You may want to re-think that.
Well, for sure you'll need to re-think that.

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

[humanflite 0]

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Possibly the main came out when the reserve left the container as it had eased the pressure on it.
Which is why FJC tells us to cutaway a deployed main no matter what.

You may want to re-think that.
Well, for sure you'll need to re-think that.

OK, badly worded! This is not in reference to the OP but in answer to your comment.
My rigger has told me several stories of when a PC is thrown, and the main doesnt leave the container *for whatever reason*, that often when the reserve is deployed, the main may deploy due to pressure being taken off it. Is this incorrect?
Regarding the badly worded part. I meant FJC taught me to cutaway a main where the PC has been thrown but nothing has happened (aka pc in tow)

[davelepka 4]

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I had recently changed to a bigger d-bag and had a new packer for Nationals. He thinks he may have switched the order of the closing tflaps of my rig, which normally wouldnt have made a difference but could have.

You didn't do a gear check after you picked your rig up from your new packer?

[Andy9o8 0]

You have my great respect on handling that so well. My first mal was hi-speed, too; a total on my main that put me under my reserve around 1,000 feet when I barely had my A license. I was starting to get cocky about not getting door fear until that happened. Definitely wakes you up. My buddies insisted I go back up that day to get back on the horse, and I'm glad I did. I'm glad you did, too. Taking a bit of a breather is ok, but stay on that horse. I'd say do a bunch of low-pressure fun jumps before hooking up with that team. As JohnR said, ease back into it.

[chuckakers 370]

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Sure, no problem. Threw out my pilot chute, nothing happening, looked up, nothing, went for my cuttaway handle and pulled it but as I was pulling it was thinking, why the fuck am I pulling this when I have nothing out, so went for my reserve. Looked up to see a partially inflatted main, my reserve was just hangning there still in the bag and the bridle from my reserve pilot chute was wrapped around my left riser. I stuffed the reserve bag between my legs and was able to get enough slack on the reserve bridle to work it down the riser of my main to get it to fully inflate at about 200 feet before I landed in a cotton patch. I am thankful to be alive.

Nice job, Evelyn. That one made ya work all the way home. I hope the skydive was fun.
All I can say on your question is this. If you love jumping out of airplanes - really really, mega-freakin' really love jumping out of airplanes, then butch up! After all, you just handled a major league mal and lived to post about it. A silly little line-over or line-twisted spinner ain't shit now.

It's all relative (work).

Man small, why fall, skies call, that's all.

Chuck Akers
D-10855
Houston, TX

[VideoFly 0]

I was wondering about your cutaway. Is it possible that you didn’t fully pull your cutaway cables clear, but instead, pulled the pillow just far enough to release only one riser? Also, did you have an RSL or Skyhook connected? You did an outstanding job of working things out. You don't have to skydive to prove things to others. Do what feels best for you. Take it slow, your feelings will probably change over time.

[jtval 0]

You may want to re read her description.


Evelyn,
Glad you worked everything out. But I am curios as to why you hesitated on cutting away.

Clearly you thought about it but decided not to.
WHy did you stop?

Will you change your EP's to cutaway if you throw and have a mal or will you remain with your decision not to cutaway?

IMO, if you throw, you cutaway. I know there are two schools of thought here.

EDIT: How'd you do at Nat'ls?

My photos

My Videos

[grimmie 173]

I should have gone in on my 285th jump. I was feeling really cool about my maddskillz. I was jumping at Perris with all of the hotshot LO's in '91. I just downsized to a Sabre 190 and had a Raven2 reserve.

We did an 8 way out of the King Air. It was my 4th jump of the day. On track off I thought I would be cool and scoot on breakoff and do some barrel rolls. What an incredible dumb ass thing to do. But I had maddskillz remember! I lost altitude awareness and was quickly spinning myself into a dirt nap with a big smile on my face. I noticed the runway looked really, really freaking huge and threw out my pilot chute, quickly and let it go. It got trapped under my rig and next to my body as I arched hard waiting for deployment. The video guy caught just enough of the toss and you could see it stuck to my back, as I was sideways and bent at the waist when I deployed. On my right side of course. I grabbed my reserve handle and pulled silver after about 4 or 5 seconds more of freefall. Poof, this nice big yellow reserve opened so nicely, at about 700ft. The poo wasn't all the way into my BVD's and I breathed a huge sigh of relief, wondering what the hell I was going to tell Jim Wallace what I did. Just then a big blue Sabre opened up, right under my reserve. Oh, Fuck me, you dumb shit, was my exact thoughts. The reaper was sleeping that afternoon. I managed to get the main behind my reserve and they were flying Ok together. I worked them side by side, grabbed my main risers in my left hand, chopped with my right, tossed the pillow and did a front riser turn to the right with the reserve. I let the main go(it was really easy holding them after cutting away), off it flew behind me. After another 4-5 second canopy ride I piled into the dirt with a PLF, as it was my first reserve ride.
I received a stand O by the railbirds in the packing area. I felt like the biggest jackass in the world, but knew I was damn lucky to live. I had a long conversation with Jim Wallace after at the bar, since I had to buy drinks for sure. I asked him if i did the right thing after I was a dumb ass pulling so low. We went over some EP's and some "never do that stuff again" small talk. He said I lived and that sometimes it works out in spite of our actions and sometimes everything is done right and it doesn't go so well. It scared the hell outta me, slowed me down a lot, and made me a much safer and better prepared jumper. I learned as much as I could about my gear, reviewed my EP's and thought through all of my actions clearly on future jumps. That was about 3800+ jumps ago and I have had two uneventful chops since, both "Spinnetto's!".

I made 5 jumps the next day. You had your scary mal, finished the comp and now have a great "No Shit. there I was" story. It's that old thing that if it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger. You're strong now. Go jump with your friends and enjoy the view. Don't get Wii-Itis!

[nomal2day 0]

Hey Evelyn! Just some feedback. As I said last night, I ended up thinking of your mal when I was looking out the Caravan door this morning at 14,000'... But it was a great jump, and I did a total of 5 today. I am still sitting here typing with that big post-jumping grin on my face

And that's the bottom line. When that feeling calls you back, you gotta go. And that's the time you will jump and enjoy it. Good luck and I hope that feeling comes real soon

Thank you for sharing your experience!

Blue skies...

'To fly is heaven, to freefall is divine'

'You only need 2 tools. WD40 for when it doesn't move but should, and duct tape for when it moves but shouldn't'

[blacksha 1]

Wow. Great job...

Won't get into the details of my high speed mal but the way you came out of yours is very inspirational...seeing now that I know the next one is coming only a matter of time...

I've read and re-read many mal stories, and yours is one of a kind...