good information

[ERICCONNELLY 0]

I recently found this link on the exits forum. It is an investigation from the APF of a premature opening last year. Very nicely done.

http://www.atsb.gov.au/aviation/pdf/vh-mmv.pdf

[cpoxon 0]

Wow. Includes pictures from the camera-man of the reserve popping. Eerie.

[cpoxon 0]

I find the wording a little ambiguous. It discusses the conflicting evidence on the date of the reserve repack, but an examination suggested the parachute was airworthy and the date on which the reserve was last packed was not an issue.

By parachute, do they literally mean the reserve or the whole system? I'd be interested in the state of the closing loop, of which no mention is made. Undoubtably, the head-jam put a lot of force on the reserve but I do wonder about the loop condition.

BSBD

[Hooknswoop 19]

Quote

By parachute, do they literally mean the reserve or the whole system? I'd be interested in the state of the closing loop, of which no mention is made. Undoubtably, the head-jam put a lot of force on the reserve but I do wonder about the loop condition.

I'm sure they ment the reserve parachute. The condition of the reserve closing loop isn't really revelant, unless it was broken. From the pictures, it looks like he pushed the pin out of the loop w/o breaking the loop.

i found it interesting also that the reserve card showed the reserve out of date, but a rigger came foward (probably w/ his/her logbook) to show that it was in date. That brings up three questions, 1) Did the rigger "pencil pack" the reserve in their logbook to prevent the pilot from getting vilolated? and 2) why wasn't the resrve filled out properly? and 3) why didn't the atsb see this as suspicious?

Hook

Hook

[darkvapor 0]

All right.. big hypothetical situation here... But let's suppose that you had a premature reserve deployment that turned into a big ball of crap, as in this case, and that you are uninjured. We all know that more fabric over your head is better, but would anyone attempt to cut the lines on the reserve and go to your main? Time shouldn't be the biggest factor yet, since you will be at over 10,000ft. Deploying a good main into a streaming reserve might make the situation completely irrecoverable. On the other hand, given time, if you physically cut the reserve away and open your main, you might have a good chance of having a landable canopy.
Thoughts?

[ERICCONNELLY 0]

Quote

1) Did the rigger "pencil pack" the reserve in their logbook to prevent the pilot from getting vilolated?

Probably not, but irrelevant to this incident. The reserve worked (all too well)

Quote

2) why wasn't the resrve filled out properly?

Who knows. also irrelavent to the incident

Quote

3) why didn't the atsb see this as suspicious?

Probably did, otherwise it would likely not have been mentioned, however details related to any potential disciplinary action against the rigger for documentation errors not related to the incident in question would not normally be found in this type of report. The report's goal (like this forum) is to help us learn and hopefully not repeat the fatal mistakes of others.

The point here is BE CAREFUL GETTING OUT!

BTW I have a gash in my container on the reserve flap (right where the reserve pin is) from scraping the door jam during a diving exit. The photos certainly have value in cautioning us to not become complacent when jumping out.

[ERICCONNELLY 0]

If I've got a big ball of shit for a reserve @ 10 K I will be cussing and cutting down to 1,500 ft and if I haven't fixed it by then I'll throw out the main and hope it clears. -

E

[Parrot 0]

Question 4: How do you cutaway your reserve, whit a knife ?

Heh, thats funny .

[darkvapor 0]

>>Question 4: How do you cutaway your reserve, whit a knife ?
Yes. This is a good reason to jump with a hook knife. I suppose this situation would be extremely rare, but something like a line over or a serious tension knot on a reserve would mandate the cutting of a line for a good chance of landing uninjured (or minimal injuries).

[freeflir29 0]

Just make sure you attempt to cut through the risers and not the lines. There was an incident last year of a guy that tried to cut the lines of a highly loaded reserve. After cutting a couple it put him into a serious spin. He spun all the way to the ground and was killed. I'd go for the risers if I was trying to get totally free of the reserve. Probably easier to cut than lines anyway.

[ltdiver 3]

Chilling. As a cameraflyer the still captures themselves are unnerving. Thanks for sharing. Something to discuss with any team your jumping with.

As for cutting the reserve risers, just make sure you don't drop your hook knife! I have a little itty-bitty plastic orange one and am seriously thinking of getting something a bit more substantial.

Perhaps this is why CRW-dogs usually carry 2 hook knives?

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[PhreeZone 15]

Don't think that little plastic orange one will be sharp enough to cut your risers or lines. I tried to cut dacron line with mine and it was'nt sharp enough to do that. The way the orange hook knifes were described to me was a a comfort giver only... in a wrap they are useless almost. I know one CRW dawg that has thrown his orange knife in a wrap since it did no good.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[ernokaikkonen 0]

>Don't think that little plastic orange one will be sharp enough
>to cut your risers or lines.

Webbing under tension is very easy to cut even with those little orange knives. It slices through with almost no effort. But this of course only if the knife hasn't been abused by being used to cut pull-up cords, shoelaces and other assorted stuff.

And there is probably more than one brand of little orange knifes. I'm starting to think that one of those aluminium knifes might be a good idea... I don't want to haul along a jack-the-ripper if I'm not jumping CF.

Erno

[Kris 0]

I had an extra one of those orange plastic knives and I decided to relegate it to field use. The first time I used it was on a cold january day to cut some material. With only a little pressure on the knife, it snapped in two.

I ordered a metal knife the next day.

Kris

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

[Geoff 0]

Quote

Perhaps this is why CRW-dogs usually carry 2 hook knives?

I once asked a CRW guy why he jumped with 4 knives.


He replied 'because I can't find anywhere to carry a 5th one'.

[bobsoutar 0]

Should carry one between your teeth too!


"CRW is supposed to be dangerous - let's keep it that way!" (quote from Richard Haydon over Ampuriabrava last Xmas boogie).