What happened
On August 15, 2015, a student skydiver participating in a training jump experienced a landing accident at the EPZA landing field in Mokre. The student, who had completed 20 previous jumps, exited the aircraft at an altitude of 1,200 meters. The deployment of the main parachute, a Mars 291, was performed correctly approximately seven seconds after exit. The descent and the execution of the landing pattern were also carried out according to procedure.
During the final approach, with wind speeds measured at 3–4 m/s, the student performed the brake input at an altitude of approximately 2 meters. This late braking resulted in an insufficient flare phase, leading to a hard landing. During the impact, the student's left leg struck a depression in the ground, resulting in serious injuries.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of the landing maneuver and the student's physical posture upon impact. The investigation established that the descent and parachute deployment were standard, but the final phase of the flight was compromised by the timing of the control inputs and the student's body position.