Almost cutaway

[labrys 0]

I had a strange experience yesterday. Not really strange from a gear perspective, but more mentally bizarre for me. I had a good skydive and a nice, soft opening but realized I was in a slow turn after the opening. I've had excess brake line come unstowed before so I didn't worry too much about it. I checked my altitude and released my left toggle and the turn stopped. Then the turn started again in the opposite direction. I reached up to release the right toggle and it wouldn't move.

I looked down and thought the ground was really close.. checked altitude again and saw I was several hundred feet above my harddeck. Looked back at the toggle (like it was an evil, chest-popping alien) and saw that the knot above the grip was wedged into the guide ring. Gave it a hard tug and it didn't budge. Another tug, altitude check. I considered compensating for the turn with rear risers and tried it. It worked but then I realized that I would have to flare asymetrically if I tried to land that way. I only have 30+ jumps so I decided that my canopy skills were not good enough to try it.

Still slighty above harddeck I reached up and tried to clear the toggle one more time. It didn't give at all. Looked down again and thought "Oh f%^k, I don't want to do this". Harddeck arrived, and I thought I didn't have a controllable canopy. I looked down at my cutaway handle and reached for it. Part of my brain started to do stupid shit at that moment. It was serioulsy telling me that I could correct the problem and NOT have to cutaway. I was afraid to pull that handle because I would have one less safety device. I was also reluctant because it seemed whimpy to cutaway under such a slow mal.

I'm pretty sure that if I didn't have time to think it through I could have followed up with the emergency procedures without pause. Some part of my brain was screwing with me and I hated it. Another part of my brain said "LALALALALALALALA I can't hear you" and decided to push forward. My right hand pulled through the toggle going for the cutaway handle and the rat bastard knot cleared.

Yep... I actually was disappointed that I didnt have to chop. I was messed up when I landed. I was bummed that I hesitated and I was thrilled that the problem cleared. I was bummed that I thought about it too much and I still am.

Owned by Remi #?

[Hooknswoop 19]

Hard Deck

What would you different if presented with the same situation on your next skydive?

Derek

[labrys 0]

Quote

Hard Deck

What would you different if presented with the same situation on your next skydive?

Derek

I don't think I'd bother to try to compensate for the problem by steering with the risers. Other than that I can't think of anything physical that may have helped or hurt the situation. What got to me the most was the mental wish-washiness I felt.

Owned by Remi #?

[FrogNog 1]

In this case, I would see if I could fly it safely with rear riser input. If I could turn left, turn right, and flare with rear risers (the last being something I have not practiced up high - mental note to do that), I would call it good to fly down. That would leave me more time to fiddle with stopping the turn. If the stuck toggle was stuck at its "stow point", I could restow it then restow the other side to get it to fly straight at half brakes. Not ideal, but it would make it fly straight without constant input from opposite rear riser (tiring) or toggle (distracting) and would make it easier to flare straight. This assumes a student canopy like I am on, where coming in at half brakes isn't dangerous by itself and you can use both hands to fiddle with a toggle without being in too much of a turn. (No, I don't like doing that.)

This was similar to the time my PC inflated under the nose, on one side, creating a right turn that took 1/2 left toggle to steer straight. It wasn't ideal, but it was steerable and had some flare.

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

[jumpgod 0]

lol.

the classic near first malfunction scenario. i was in the same boat about 2+ years ago. i could have described it verbatim what you've said.

after chatting with friends and instructors et. al. i came up with 2 conclusions:

1) 1800' means chop -- if it doesn't flare and isn't square -- bye bye -- i've got a good reserve

2) you can land a canopy with the rear risors (i've had to with a broken steering line about 1 year back.)

i still don't know what caused the knot but many call this the classic newbie situation and error. we live and learn.

"dude, where's my main?"

[aviatoredb 0]

I had lamost the saem situation. My right toggle came out in freefall and my sister (VERY experienced) signalled me to pull. I deployed at 6' (there was noone above us) and immediately went into a mild spin. I was able to straighten out the sping with some opposite toggle but the rght toggle was in a knot and I could undo it. I had all sorts fo alitutde to think about cutting away. I did not.
I decided to go back to AFF ground school. I tested my canopy. I was fully open, I was able to fly straight and initate controlled turns in both directions. My only weakness was the flare. All the experienced skydivers told me later that cutting away or riding it in (as I chose to do) would've been good decisions. They also all said they would've elected to NOT cutaway.
My landing was hard with the minimal flare but I plf'ed and walked away.
I was still flying a student canopy at .85 but if I were flying a higher wing loading I might have though mroe on cutting away,