What happened
On July 3, 2015, a tandem skydive was conducted from an altitude of 3,000 meters near the Masłów aerodrome (EPKA). During the deployment process of the TM 365 tandem parachute, the suspension lines became twisted. Although the parachute initially maintained a straight flight path, the skydiver was unable to resolve the twists through manual maneuvers. After informing the passenger of the situation, the skydiver reached an altitude of 1,100 meters, where they manually released the main canopy and deployed the reserve parachute. The landing was successfully completed at the aerodrome.
The investigation
The investigation examined the equipment and the deployment sequence. An inspection of the parachute was performed, which revealed no evidence of structural damage or excessive wear. The investigation focused on the mechanics of the line twists and the deployment environment.
Findings
- The investigation could not determine the specific cause of the line twists.
- The commission noted that line twists in tandem operations can stem from several factors, including asymmetrical inflation of the canopy cells, canopy deformation, or improper weight distribution on the risers due to the skydiver's body position.
- Other contributing factors for such twists include the rotation of the skydiver/passenger unit during inflation or errors made during the packing process, such as twisting the canopy while placing it into the deployment bag.