Skydiving Fatal on first jump AFF in India

[air_devil 0]

Hi all,

Something horrible happened last week here in India and the media was not shy to pick it up and contribute to negative publicity of the sport. A first time jumper lost her life on impact. She was doing an AFF jump from 10K from a Cessna 172.

There were 2 instructors who hold a USPA license, they trained her and they jumped with her. I have spoken to one of the instructor, who claims that it wasn't his fault.

His version of the story is "We deployed her main at 6k, there was a partial malfunction and she did not react. She cut away at between 100-200 ft. He says it was completely her fault." I have no knowledge of the student rig and if there was an AAD or not.

I have been jumping for the past 10 years, i have about 400 jumps coz in India we do not have a drop zone, so i only jump when i travel and have a drop zone at that location. I felt horribly bad reading about this accident in the newspapers, specially coz its bad for skydiving and in a country where already there is little/no skydiving its going to bring a bad name. Shocked to know this I put up a status on Facebook and the instructor replies "I just got to know about your post regarding skydiving accident. 1St of all plz don't speed the wrong words until you know the truth. That was completely her fault, I am not saying because she is no more in this world and we can blame on her. She had low speed malfunction and she respond it too late at around 100-200ft. She was well trained by all instructors. You know well when shit happen it happens you can't do anything and when you get into this situation then you Feel. I have been through it"

Recently this group started skydiving, I did not get an opportunity to jump with them. But from what I know of the sport, if there has been a fatality on first jump then there is more than one thing, which has gone wrong. Most accidents happening in skydiving in the past few years have been where novice/ expert jumpers push themselves beyond their limit, wanting to do something that they have seen.

In case a person comes for a first jump and is offered an AFF, is it not the instructors/ dropzone's responsibility to make sure that all procedures are followed.

The local police has started an investigation, but I doubt anything can come off it, because they won't be having technical knowledge of the sport.

I would like to know if something like this happens in the US, how will USPA/FAA react to this? What will be the consequences and who will be held responsible?

Right now there is no USPA S&TA in India.

P.S. I have a USPA C license with coach rating, so what i learnt in my coach course was to teach, not to jump. And many good skydivers might not be good coaches/ instructors.

Here is some of the press coverage:-

THE HINDU : BANGLORE : 01 Feb 2014
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/naval-officer-among-four-arrested/article5641394.ece

THE HINDU : BANGLORE : 31 Jan 2014
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/sky-diving-turns-fatal-for-bangalore-woman/article5635830.ece

TIMES OF INDIAN : 31 Jan 2014
http://www.ndtv.com/article/south/woman-dies-in-tamil-nadu-after-parachute-doesn-t-open-in-skydiving-lesson-477428

THE HINDU : BANGLORE : 01 Feb 2014
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/high-on-thrills-low-on-regulation/article5641393.ece

INDIAN EXPRESS : DELHI 02 Feb 2014
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/indicted-officer-held-in-tn-skydiving-death-navy-may-be-asked-to-explain/

YOUTUBE VIDEO LINK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eWozsFPEtw

YOUTUBE VIDEO LINK : NDTV
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q18jBWk2Svo


Please give your comments. For understanding that this could have been avoided and in India, we can do something where is awareness is less about the sport and most people rely on websites that put out good photos and nice videos.

Thanks

[MikeBIBOM 0]

If there was an AAD, it wouldn't have activated if she didn't cut away till 200 feet anyway. What's baffling to me is that four people were arrested over it.

[Andy9o8 0]

You will find a thread about this in our Incidents forum:

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4597280;page=unread#unread

[shaz10 0]

well i think there should be a permanent DZ for such kindda sports otherwise coordination between different jobs assigned is very difficult. i was planning AFF in india but now its better to go abroad most probably thai 4 the purpose.

someother day in india i hope so..best of luck