What happened
On August 2, 2015, a tandem skydive jump took place at Elbląg airport (EPEL). The jump involved an experienced skydiver and a passenger. After exiting the aircraft at an altitude of 3,360 meters, the instructor deployed a drogue parachute five seconds after separation. Thirty seconds later, the main parachute was deployed and inflated correctly.
The approach to landing was performed into the wind, with an estimated wind speed of approximately 3 m/s. As the skydiver manipulated the control lines to reduce forward speed and level the descent, the passenger held their legs at an angle of approximately 45 degrees from the horizontal, with the left leg straight and the right leg slightly bent. During the descent, an observer filmed the landing and shouted instructions to the passenger to lift their legs higher. Upon touchdown, the passenger dropped their lower legs to a vertical position, causing both the instructor and the passenger to tumble onto the ground. The passenger sustained serious injuries during the impact.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the operator, reviewed video footage and photographs of the landing. The analysis focused on the physical positioning of the passenger and the sequence of events leading to the impact. The investigation established that the instructor had provided a pre-jump briefing, which included instructions on maintaining the proper body posture for landing.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the passenger's failure to maintain the correct body posture during the landing phase.
- The passenger's legs dropped to a 90-degree angle at the moment of contact with the ground, leading to the loss of stability and the subsequent tumble.