Factual Information
The occurrence involved a skydiver equipped with a Squirrel brand parachute who impacted the ground, resulting in fatal injury. There was no damage to property, and the parachute was intact; however, line twist was apparent.
History of the Accident
The accident was notified to the Air Accident Investigation Sector (AAIS) on 16 February 2023 at 15:38 local time. The skydiver, a visitor, arrived at Skydive Dubai on 18 January 2023 to register. On that day, his parachute was checked and found in good condition. He signed an acknowledgement form stating he was briefed on and would adhere to the club’s safety rules. Between 19 January and 16 February 2023, he completed 53 jumps, excluding the accident jump.
On 16 February, at 0900 LT, the skydiver arrived with two friends but was denied boarding because he lacked an altimeter. At approximately 1140 LT, he boarded the aircraft, jumped at 1240 LT, and landed uneventfully at 1310 LT. At approximately 1500 LT, he boarded for a second jump. After freefall, the parachute lines twisted. The skydiver attempted to recover by kicking out but was unable. He then performed emergency procedures: he grabbed the cutaway handle but could not fully extend his arm; he partially cut away, causing him to hang on one riser. He grabbed the reserve handle and fully deployed it, but then grabbed the bridle of the reserve free bag, causing the bridle to wrap around his arm. He tried to clear the bridle but was unable. At approximately 1538 LT, he impacted the ground and was fatally injured.
Personnel Information
The skydiver was a visiting skydiver holding a valid United States Parachute Association (USPA) C license. He had logged a total of 347 jumps, with the last recorded on 12 December 2022. Jumps executed at the club in January and February 2023 were not recorded in his logbook.
Parachute Information
The parachute system comprised a Mirage System Inc G4 Series container, a Performance Designs Optimum 126 reserve canopy, a Squirrel LLC Epicene Pro 150 main canopy, an Airtec GmbH & Co.KG CYPRES 2 automatic activation device, and a Mirage System Inc G4 Series reserve static line. The rig was last checked on 2 February 2023.
Meteorological Information
Weather information from the National Center of Meteorology indicated that between 1500 and 1600 LT on the day of the accident, ground wind speeds ranged from 14 to 17 knots.
Organizational Information
Skydive Dubai operates under a Parachute Approved Organization (PAO) approval issued by the General Civil Aviation Authority. The club’s operating manual specifies wind gust limits for suspension and resumption of parachuting activities: parachuting must be suspended if two gusts above the limit occur within five minutes, and suspension must not be released for at least 30 minutes with no further out-of-limit gusts. The wind limit for licensed parachutists is 24 knots. The club provided safety briefings via a poster and a video; neither contained information about line twist recovery.
Analysis
The source notes that, according to USPA, wind gust is a common cause of parachute line twist, as gusty winds can cause oscillation leading to line twisting. Skydivers should be aware of wind conditions and avoid jumping in gusty winds beyond limits. The USPA emphasizes treating line twist as a malfunction requiring immediate action: pulling the cutaway handle and deploying the reserve as soon as possible. A Reserve Static Line or main-assisted reserve deployment is vital for recovery. The skydiver in this accident attempted cutaway but only partially succeeded, and the reserve bridle became wrapped around his arm.