Tandem Parachute Accident in Elbląg, Poland

Incident Overview and Location On September 11, 2020, at 14:40 local time, a tandem parachute accident occurred at Elbląg Airport (EPEL) in Poland. The incident involved a tandem parachute system and resulted in injuries to both the instructor and the passenger. The event was classified as an accident by the Polish State Commission for Investigation of Aviation Accidents (PKBWL). ## Aircraft and Operational Details The tandem jump was conducted from a Turbo Finist SMG 92T aircraft, which departed from Elbląg Airport. The jump was performed at an altitude of approximately 3,800 meters above ground level. The parachute system used was a System Sigma configuration, which included a Sigma 340 container and harness, a TV3-SH passenger harness, a Sigma II 340 main parachute, a Vigil II+ automatic activation device, and a VTC 2R reserve parachute. ## Personnel and Injuries The tandem instructor was a 57-year-old male with over 3,800 jumps, including approximately 2,000 tandem jumps. He held valid qualifications for tandem operations and tandem instruction. The passenger was a 34-year-old male citizen of Iceland with no prior aviation qualifications. Following the hard landing, the instructor sustained minor injuries, while the passenger sustained serious injuries. Both individuals were transported to a hospital, and alcohol tests for both were negative. ## Investigation Findings The investigation revealed that the main parachute experienced a hard opening, which resulted in the rupture of four suspension lines (A1 and B1 on both sides) near the canopy attachment points. The internal crossports in the area of the broken lines were also frayed. The Vigil II+ automatic activation device was sent to the manufacturer for data retrieval. The data indicated that the system's recording ended 24 seconds after the parachute opened, before the landing phase. The manufacturer's recommendations state that the tandem drogue should be deployed within 5 seconds of exiting the aircraft, with a strict maximum of 10 seconds to prevent excessive freefall speeds. The total load on the canopy was 208 kg, which was within the system's operational limits.