What happened
On October 14, 2018, a skydiver was performing a freefly maneuver as part of their 512th jump. The flight originated from an SMG 92 aircraft, departing from an altitude of 4,000 meters. After exiting the aircraft and successfully deploying the parachute, the skydiver reached an altitude of approximately 900 meters and began the landing sequence.
During the approach, the skydiver executed a turn into the wind. However, this maneuver was performed too far from the intended landing zone, resulting in the skydiver drifting beyond the boundaries of the Bednary (EPPB) aerodrome. At an altitude of approximately 4 meters, the skydiver struck bushes located at the edge of the airfield, which caused a fall to the ground. The impact resulted in a thoracic spine injury.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight path and the landing execution to determine why the skydiver drifted outside the controlled landing area. The inquiry examined the sequence of the turn into the wind and the subsequent impact with the vegetation at the airfield perimeter.