Pilot Chute caught on leg

[Hazarrd 1]

Yesterday, on my last jump, I did a hop and pop from 3,500 ft. I had a stable exit and become unstable after about 2 seconds. I rolled onto my back and back and forth, and I knew I had to pull so I pulled unstable. Pilot chute wrapped around my leg, I panicked and started kicking it and it came off. I got lucky, but I am curious as to what anyone else would have done if they were at 2000 ft and it was still on their leg. Emergency procedures definitely? Thanks.

.-.

[Kris 0]

What I teach my students is to try to clear a wrapped PC twice then cut away and go for their reserve.

Try to kick it off once, then one last time. There is no third time. If it's still there then it isn't your friend, it isn't going away, and you need to initiate your emergency procedures.

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[indyz 1]

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I got lucky, but I am curious as to what anyone else would have done if they were at 2000 ft and it was still on their leg.

This is what I would do based on my training and experience. Consult your instructor. Your mileage my vary.

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Emergency procedures definitely?

Hell yes. I'm not planning on going in with a horseshoe and no handles pulled. I'd do the same thing I was taught to do if I got a throwout PC wrapped around my arm: Try twice to shake it off, and if it doesn't clear, cutaway and pull my reserve.

[ChasingBlueSky 0]

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I got lucky, but I am curious as to what anyone else would have done if they were at 2000 ft and it was still on their leg.

This is what I would do based on my training and experience. Consult your instructor. Your mileage my vary.

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Emergency procedures definitely?

Hell yes. I'm not planning on going in with a horseshoe and no handles pulled. I'd do the same thing I was taught to do if I got a throwout PC wrapped around my arm: Try twice to shake it off, and if it doesn't clear, cutaway and pull my reserve.

I had been thinking about this myself recently - had my PC bounce off my ankle when I deployed in a track (yes, I could have thrown it out harder). If I had a horseshoe, would I chop before going to silver? My thought in the air was if this is a horseshoe, drop that leg and pull the reserve without chopping the main. Luckily, nothing snagged.

To this day, I've yet to hear a solid reason from the bigshots on whether to chop a horseshoe or not.

_________________________________________
you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
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[phoenixlpr 0]

Was it a PC or a spring loaded? Using a non sping loaded PC require stable exit position. If you are not stable and you still have some little time, stabilize and open. If its spring loaded you have bigger chance to have a clean deployment from unstable position.

Safe landings

[JoHawley 0]

This is something I have been wondering - to chop of not to chop when you have a PC wrapped around you. I think I would chop to avoid the two getting tangled up, but I'd be interested to hear what others think.

[Luna 0]

Okay, here's a stranger question. My husband last weekend had a similar situation on a low h&p, but the pilot chute was wrapped on his left arm. He did manage to clear it, but assuming for a second he couldn't...the bridle is crossing his container, possibly right in the way of the reserve (pin was not popped). Either emergency procedure could have caused a problem. Deploy reserve only, bridle is in the way of deployment. Cutaway first...well, main bag is still in container, and bridle is still attached to arm, so unless the reserve PC was able to pop the main pin and the main bag was able to clear before the reserve deployed (pretty unlikely I'd say), he still would have had a very problematic reserve deployment. He is equipped with a cypres, though, so at some point, if he was not able to clear the malfunction and had not initiated emergency procedures, he still would have been dealing with this situation. Any thoughts on this? In retrospect, it's a pretty scary situation. Obviously, having it wrapped on your arm makes it a lot easier to clear...but what if?

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[Genn 0]

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This is something I have been wondering - to chop of not to chop when you have a PC wrapped around you. I think I would chop to avoid the two getting tangled up, but I'd be interested to hear what others think.

I agree with Kris. That's my rule too (when at a low altitude)...1,2...Fuck you! then emergency procedures.

I would not chop. But that's me.

That's similar to asking the "Would you cutaway with a PC in tow?" People always have different answers.

[DJL 232]

I would chop. The reasoning being that I know that the reserve would inflate first, and that when it does the PC will probably drop off of my foot and the main may already be out a bit but will be behind the reserve and if it starts to catch air it will just drop away.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[jumpervali 1]

Pulling main parachute attempt #1. 1 try at clearing p/c from a limb is try #2. Attempt #3 is cutting away and deploying reserve. If you've opened the main pack always cut away and deploy. Students are trained though below 1K just deploy and do not cutaway. One big key is to mentally review your decisions like in this topic and try to consider others too. Like exit altitudes for emergencies "which canopy to open" etc. It could provide you with the few seconds of time that saves lives.

jumpervali aff-i-03

[billvon 2,396]

> If I had a horseshoe, would I chop before going to silver?

If you are going to chop, make absolutely sure your main riser covers are in good condition. If they're not, and you chop, the ends of the risers may start flopping around, and they are ideal for trapping your reserve PC (big loops of webbing.)

[Clownburner 0]

Aren't the reserve risers under the main risers? Wouldn't the reserve blow the main riser covers open anyway?

7CP#1 | BTR#2 | Payaso en fuego Rodriguez
"I want hot chicks in my boobies!"- McBeth

[betzilla 56]

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What I teach my students is to try to clear a wrapped PC twice then cut away and go for their reserve.

Students here are taught to cutaway only if that will result in separating from the main. In the case of a bridle entangled with some part of the body, a cutaway is not advised because the main would still be attached to them, only there would be a LOT morem of it flapping in the wind, trying to snag the reserve.

I had never considered that there could be a time (other than a total) when I wouldn't hit the cutaway handle before deploying my reserve. But the fact is, if a cutwawy isn't going to separate your from that main, it's wasted time, and could cause more trouble for you.

[Kris 0]

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Students here are taught to cutaway only if that will result in separating from the main.

That's fine for an experienced jumper but I do not want a first-jump student (or any student for that matter) trying to remember whether to cutaway or not depending on the type of malfunction they are having.

They may get confused, they may hesitate too long, they may do the wrong thing. All that and they are screaming towards the planet at terminal as well.

One procedure, one decision.

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[Genn 0]

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If I had a horseshoe, would I chop before going to silver?

From what I observed from watching testing of 'intentional' horseshoe cutaways...you chop, quickly grab and release your main risers...this leaves the airspace above you clear for your reserve to deploy.

Does anyone agree or disagree and why?