What happened
On August 9, 2019, a landing accident occurred at the Gliwice (EPGL) airfield involving a Navigator 260 parachute. A student parachutist was performing a landing under the supervision of an instructor, with radio support provided throughout the descent.
During the final approach, the student failed to adopt the required landing position, contrary to the specific instructions provided by the instructor. As the student reached an altitude of approximately 3 meters, the parachute was deployed too dynamically. This resulted in the student impacting the ground vertically on a single leg (the left leg), which led to a fracture at the ankle.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the operator, established the sequence of events leading to the injury. The inquiry focused on the student's failure to follow instructional commands regarding landing posture and the timing of the parachute deployment relative to the ground altitude.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was landing on a single leg, which directly resulted in the ankle fracture.
- The parachute was deployed at an altitude of approximately 3 meters, contributing to the impact force.
- The student did not follow the instructor's instructions regarding the proper landing position.