What happened
On June 6, 2015, a skydiver with 411 previous jumps was performing a jump from a Jak 12M aircraft at an altitude of 1,200 meters near the Bielsko-Biała (EPBA) airfield. During the exit process from the aircraft, the main parachute deployment bag opened while still inside the cabin. The skydiver exited the aircraft without realizing the canopy had already begun to deploy. The remaining occupants of the aircraft subsequently pushed the remaining main canopy, which was still partially enclosed in its deployment bag, out of the aircraft.
At an altitude of approximately 1,000 meters, the skydiver deployed the pilot chute. Although the main canopy inflated, the lines were tangled. Consequently, the skydiver cut away the main parachute and deployed the reserve parachute, which fully inflated at an altitude of 620 meters. The skydiver landed safely at the airfield.
The investigation
The investigation examined the deployment mechanism of the parachute and the conditions inside the aircraft. The analysis focused on why the deployment bag opened prematurely while the skydiver was still inside the cabin.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was an improperly long closing loop on the main parachute deployment bag, which allowed the canopy to begin deploying prematurely.
- The investigation noted that both maintenance personnel and users must regularly inspect the condition, material, length, and wear of closing loops.
- The commission highlighted that installing excessively long loops poses a risk not only to the individual skydiver but also to the aircraft and its occupants.
- It was noted that extreme care must be taken when moving within an aircraft to prevent accidental deployment, as pressure against aircraft components could potentially displace a pin from the closing loop.