What happened
On July 3, 2015, a skydiver with 230 previous jumps was performing a training jump at the Kazimierz Biskupi airfield (EPKB). The jump was intended to practice landing techniques using a Sabre2 190 parachute. The jump originated from an altitude of approximately 1,700 meters. The deployment and freefall phases proceeded without incident.
During the descent, the skydiver attempted a significant turn by pulling the front left steering line, resulting in a 160 to 180-degree rotation. During the landing phase, the skydiver struck the ground first with the knees and then with the head, followed by a secondary impact after a bounce. The skydiver sustained serious injuries as a result of the impact.
The investigation
The investigation examined the skydiver's training history and the specific circumstances of the day's jumps. It was established that the skydiver had been participating in landing technique training, specifically focusing on "hop and pop" maneuvers. Previously, under instructor supervision and favorable weather, the skydiver had performed turns ranging from 90 to 145 degrees.
On the day of the accident, during the first jump of the day, the skydiver had performed a 160-degree turn. Following that jump, an instructor explicitly warned the skydiver that the current atmospheric conditions were unsuitable for maneuvers exceeding 90 degrees and highlighted the risks of attempting larger turns. Despite this warning, the skydiver proceeded with an individual jump.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was initiating the landing turn at too low an altitude, which prevented the parachute from leveling out before ground contact.
- The skydiver failed to apply corrective braking maneuvers in a timely manner after realizing the parachute was not returning to level flight.