| Date | Location | Category | Age | # Jumps | AAD?/RSL? | Dropzone.com Report | Dropzone.com Discussion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15/04/2000 | Vinton, IA | MAL | 44 | 500 | N/? | |||
| Description: After a 4-way from 9500, his second jump of the day, the deceased experienced a total malfunction. He was observed to have rolled onto his back while struggling with the malfunction, and was found after impact with part of his bridle grasped in his left hand. Both cutaway and reserve handles were in place. His CYPRES was out for its 4-year check, though it is unknown whether the rig used on this jump was the one in which the CYPRES was typically installed. It is also not known if he had ever experienced a malfunction before. He had a PRO rating and was jumping at his home DZ. | ||||||||
| Lessons:It would appear the deceased lost track of altitude while trying to fix a serious high-speed malfunction. Remember, from 2000 feet in a face-to-earth body position, you are only about 11 seconds from impact. You do not have time to remedy most high speed malfunctions. A common routine for possibly-fixable malfunctions is "Try once, try twice, then give up and initiate emergency procedures." Over the years, many people have died from spending too long trying to resolve a problem, instead of just pulling the reserve. | ||||||||
| Name | Jeff Eaton | |||||||