What happened
On June 11, 2016, a tandem skydiver participating in a jump organized by Aeroklub Warszawski experienced a malfunction during a flight at the Chrcynno (EPNC) landing field. The jump involved a passenger-style tandem descent using a Hop 330 parachute system.
Following the deployment of the main canopy, the descent proceeded normally until the canopy became fully inflated. At that point, the skydiver identified a knot that had formed on the left control line, positioned above the cascade. This malfunction caused the parachute to enter an increasing spiral rotation. In response to the uncontrolled descent, the skydiver executed emergency procedures by manually releasing the main canopy and deploying the reserve parachute. The landing was completed on the operational portion of the landing field.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the jump organizer, focused on the equipment configuration and the physical cause of the line entanglement. The examination centered on the assembly of the Hop 330 canopy, which was mounted to a Next harness/container system.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the use of improper or worn rubber rings used to braid the excess control lines.
- The formation of the knot on the left control line was directly attributed to the failure of these rubber components to properly secure the lines.
Safety action
Following the incident, it was recommended that appropriate rubber rings for the specific canopy type be used and that regular inspections be conducted to monitor the level of wear on these components.