On July 23, 1995, a DE Havilland DHC-6 (registration N926MA) operated by Coronado Skydiving Center was involved in an aviation accident near Belen, NM. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PARACHUTIST'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES ON EXITING THE AIRCRAFT. A FACTOR WAS THE PARACHUTIST'S INCAPACITATION DUE TO HITTING HIS HEAD ON THE DOORWAY FLOOR. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a freestyle jump attempt at 10,500 feet, a parachutist hit his head on the doorway floor, failed to deploy his parachute, and a rescue attempt by another jumper was unsuccessful.
Incident Details
A parachutist attempted a freestyle jump from an airplane at an altitude of 10,500 feet mean sea level (MSL). During the exit, the parachutist gripped a bar inside the airplane, swung his legs outside, and let go. While exiting, he struck his head on the doorway floor.
Sequence of Events
After the impact, the parachutist did not turn face to earth as expected. Another parachutist on board attempted a rescue by trying to catch up, but was unable to do so. The injured parachutist did not deploy his parachute during the descent.
Parachutist Background
The parachutist had accumulated 70 jumps prior to the incident and was not wearing a helmet at the time of the jump.
