What happened
On October 14, 2017, a student skydiver performed their first-ever jump as part of a training task. The jump was conducted from an altitude of 1,000 meters using a Cessna 182 aircraft. The parachute used for the jump was a Mars 291 model, configured with an automatic deployment system.
From the moment the student exited the aircraft until the final descent, the flight proceeded normally. However, during the final phase of the landing approach, while attempting to land into the wind, the student failed to maintain the prescribed heading. This deviation caused the parachute to drift to the right, resulting in a side-impact landing accompanied by a slight rotation of the body to the right.
The investigation
The investigation established that emergency medical services were dispatched to the landing site. The student was transported to a hospital for medical evaluation.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the student's failure to maintain the required windward landing heading.
- The landing maneuver resulted in a side-on impact with the ground.
- Medical examinations confirmed that the student sustained a spiral fracture of the right tibia between the knee and the ankle.