What happened
On August 29, 2015, a tandem skydive took place at the Chrcymno landing field (EPNC) involving a Sigma II 370 parachute. The jump, conducted by a skydiver with 2,845 previous jumps, proceeded normally until the deployment of the reserve canopy. After the second canopy was released and inflated, the parachute began to rotate spontaneously to the right. When the skydiver attempted to brake the steering lines to correct the descent, the rotation accelerated. To manage the situation, the skydiver executed emergency procedures by cutting away the main canopy and deploying the reserve parachute, ultimately landing on the operational part of the landing field.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanics of the canopy deployment and the subsequent uncontrolled rotation. The skydiver reported that the disruption during the opening process was caused by a steering line becoming wrapped around the far-right suspension line. The investigation examined the packing process and the configuration of the lines prior to the jump.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was a packing error occurring during the parachute preparation process.
- The rotation was triggered by a steering line being entangled with a suspension line.
Safety action
Following the incident, the jump organizer implemented several preventative measures. These include exercising increased caution during the final stages of packing the canopy into the deployment bag and when securing lines into the container's rubber bands. Specific instructions were issued to ensure the symmetrical distribution and tension of the lines, to avoid excessive slack in the rubber bands, and to use rubber bands of the same type and wear level.