What happened
On July 22, 2015, a skydiver with approximately 800 jumps performed a descent from an altitude of about 1,500 meters. The freefall and the deployment of the Eagle 220 parachute proceeded normally, with the jumper successfully navigating toward the designated landing zone at the Masłów (EPKA) airfield.
As the jumper approached the landing area, following the direction indicated by the landing marker, they encountered light, variable winds of approximately 0.5 to 1 m/s. Because the wind was blowing in the direction of the landing approach, the jumper was landing with a tailwind. At an estimated altitude of 6 to 8 meters, the jumper performed a sudden and aggressive pull on the steering lines. This maneuver placed the parachute at the edge of a stall, resulting in a landing characterized by low forward speed and an increased rate of descent. Upon contact with the ground, the jumper sustained minor injuries.
The investigation
The investigation, overseen by the organizer of the skydiving session, focused on the sequence of maneuvers performed during the final approach and the impact of the wind conditions on the landing stability.