What happened
On August 29, 2015, a skydiver with experience of 613 jumps was performing a tandem jump from an altitude of 4,000 meters. During the freefall phase, the individual was filming the descent. The main parachute of the Crossfire 109 canopy opened at an altitude of approximately 900 meters. Immediately following the deployment, the lines experienced a twist, resulting in deep rotations of the canopy. In response to the malfunction, the skydiver deployed the reserve parachute. The descent ended with a landing on the operational area of the Chrcynno landing field (EPNC), but the incident resulted in one fatality.
The investigation
The investigation examined the equipment and the deployment sequence to identify why the lines twisted. Investigators confirmed that the control handles were correctly positioned and the slider was located above the suspension lines. The investigation focused on the deployment process and the physical state of the parachute components.
Findings
- The specific cause of the line twisting during the opening process could not be determined.
- Potential contributing factors identified include uneven weaving of the suspension lines into the rubber rings, inconsistent condition of the rubber rings, asymmetrical tensioning of the risers, or an asymmetrical body position during the canopy inflation process.