minor malfunction

[jenky 0]

I have been following with interest the discussions on malfunctions. In had just finished reading, and contemplating, several of the descriptions before I jumped yesterday. I remember thinking, after reading one post about a bad spin on opening that had to be cut away, "Man, I hope that never happens to me".
Jump #16 (yes I am an inexperienced novice) seemed like any other jump. I exited the Otter at 13,800 ft. I was solo bellyflying, practicing fast turns, slow turns, and playing around with backflips. I tracked to avoid a cloud. At 4,000 I reached and pulled. I watched a nice big rectangle blossom above. I felt the deceleration, then looked down to get my heading. We (the canopy and I) were turning to the right. I stowed my ripcord and released the brakes. I thought no big deal, it is just a gust of wind (it was gusty that day). I stopped the turn with the left toggle, then released tension on both and... surprise we were turning right again. I then looked up again and saw the problem. The pilot chute was wrapped around the right steering line and was stuck into an adjacent cascade. The right edge of the canopy was crimped. My thrill at having had a nice freefall, followed by a nice opening, was rudely changed into a hollow, sinking feeling.
I had never mentally rehearsed this particular problem, but I have had good instructors. First question, is the canopy controllable? My answer was, "yes". I could flare it, turn in both directions, but obviously had to use different toggle "heights" to fly straight, and different input to turn. I remembered my 1st AFF instructor saying, "If you have to pull one toggle down below the level of your shoulder to fly straight you probably shouldn't keep that canopy."
I checked and I could fly straight with the left toggle at about ear level. I thought about cutting away, but the answer to the controllability question was still, "Yes". Provided nothing got worse I felt I had an excellent chance for a safe landing. I did, however, want to get that stupid pilot chute out of the lines, and I was still worried by how distorted the right side of the canopy appeared. I wanted to fix it and not have to worry about the "what ifs" when I got lower. I wasn't sure how this malfunction would behave over time. It looked unchanged in the 10 seconds or so that I had been studying it, but I just didn't know what it would do.
I checked my altitude (over 3,000), so I had plenty to work with before my hard deck of 2000. I first pulled down hard on both toggles and watched. I eventually felt the stall, but I saw that the cascade with the trapped pilot chute and the edge of the chute (and steering line) moved closer together. I repeated, but the damn pilot chute just wouldn't budge. I repeated using a big pull on the rear risers. The PC flapped and moved a bit, but was still stuck. I got a little angry at it, and kept repeating deep strong pulls sometimes with the toggles, sometimes with the risers. (I put my lats to the task and really pulled hard; All those years of competitive swimming finally paid off). Eventually the SPC (stupid pilot chute) fluttered free. I don't know if it was attempt 5 or 6 that ultimately worked.
I had been keeping an eye on my altimeter and now was @ 2200 with an excellent canopy and the SPC was now where it belonged. I rechecked controllability and it was now perfect. I was very relieved.
I made my approach, got buffeted by some big gusts @ 1200 ft., but was in control. I even had a nice soft, stand-up landing in the peas.
I asked my former instructors about the minor malfunction. It didn't seem to me that a packing error could do this and they agreed. Also, I was stable on deployment. It was just a random event. I now know about one of the drawbacks of a spring-loaded pilot chute ripcord system.
Sure it was only a relatively minor malfunction, but it got my attention and it DID bring on the fear factor (mostly later when I had time to think about it).
Needless to say I had a little extra epinephrine jazzing up my system after this jump, and called it quits for the day. As I was gathering up my stuff one of my former JMs, who is now a friendly face that I continue to learn from, came over and we chatted. He said, "I know how you feel, but my advice is go right back up and jump again, today."
So I did. I jumped the same chute, packed by the same guy. I didn't really enjoy the ride up or the free fall, but I did enjoy the nice big rectangle -- free of tangles -- that came out when I pulled. I missed the peas, but who cares, I enjoyed the ride and landed softly.
Today, my muscles are sore, but I feel good. I am glad I went right up and did the next jump. This is a great sport!

[ClayFowler 0]

Good Job.....You worked the problem, remianed altitude aware, and repeated the jump to keep away the "willys" Yep, this is a totally random event. Spring loaded PC's can act a little funny. Thats why people use throw outs and pull outs. At 17 jumps I'm a little surprised you havent been transitioned to a throw out yet.
"I want to fly like a silly angel, Lean for the sky, straight into the sun"-Fuel
Clay

[phastasphuk 0]

You did the right thing...and most the important one was to jump again...just get up there and get that good feeling back!
Only found one thing that I would never do:

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I tracked to avoid a cloud

WTF...you cant't beat that groundrush feeling you get from a nice dense cloud ...I always go for clouds...
Except when the cloud base is too low of courses chris
How would you like too stick with me
How much do you love to freefall

[jenky 0]

I'm working on it. The rental gear is all ripcord/spring loaded PCs. I just bought a used rig, which should arrive in the next few days. I'm looking forward to transitioning to a throw out system.
Thanks,
Mark

[ClayFowler 0]

Just remember to let go of the PC.....Second jump on a throw out. I planned the first one and practiced it on the ground. Went great. The second one I grabbed the PC brought it out beside me and then watched it flap in the wind for about one second. About 2 or 3 flaps in the wind I think. That's when I yelled to myself. LET GO STUPID! So, put some thought into it for the first 5 or 6 jumps.
"I want to fly like a silly angel, Lean for the sky, straight into the sun"-Fuel
Clay

[Aviatrr 0]

Quote

Just remember to let go of the PC.....Second jump on a throw out. I planned the first one and practiced it on the ground. Went great. The second one I grabbed the PC brought it out beside me and then watched it flap in the wind for about one second. About 2 or 3 flaps in the wind I think. That's when I yelled to myself. LET GO STUPID!

Ya know, I did just about the same thing on my only jump on a ripcord.. I have always jumped throw out or pull out, but wanted to make back to back loads while I was jumping with a friend out west.. Arranged for one of the rental rigs to be waiting for me when I landed.. It was ripcord equipped, so I kept going over it in my head - hold on to the ripcord.. When pull time came, I grabbed it, yanked it out, held on to it...and as the canopy was deploying, I looked at my hand, thought OH SHIT, and threw the damn thing to my side.. I realized what I did as soon as it left my hand - but I couldn't grab it.. Mike

[Duck 0]

LOL! CF, that's pretty comedy. I couldn't wait to transition to a throw out because I lost the ripcord on two of my AFFs. . . It was the running joke with my JMs, they were making money everytime I tossed the thing. What's so funny is, now that I'm going back up to get current (on a student rig of course), that I'm actually concerned I'll toss the ripcord. They cost $25 now! Quack