What happened
On July 18, 2015, a student skydiver was performing a training jump at the Leszno (EPLS) airfield. The jump was part of a scheduled training session conducted by the Aeroklub Leszczyński. The student, who was performing their fifth lifetime jump and their first jump of the day, exited a Voyager 280 aircraft at an altitude of 1,000 meters for a specific training task (SL-1).
Immediately after separating from the aircraft, the student performed a movement with their left arm. This action caused the left risers to become trapped under the student's left armpit during the deployment process. While the parachute canopy inflated correctly, the entanglement caused the parachute to descend in a continuous leftward spiral. Unable to free their arm from the risers, the student manually released the main canopy and deployed the reserve parachute, subsequently completing a safe landing at the airfield.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the training organizer, focused on the sequence of events following the exit from the Voyament 280. The inquiry examined the student's physical movements during the deployment phase and the resulting entanglement of the parachute risers.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the adoption of an incorrect body position during the parachute deployment sequence.
- The student's physical movement with the left arm led to the risers becoming caught under the arm, preventing proper control of the canopy.
Safety action
Following the incident, the training organizer conducted a briefing with all participants to review the event and the student's actions. Additional training was implemented for all jumpers, specifically focusing on proper separation techniques from the aircraft and maintaining the correct body posture following exit.