What happened
On 16 February 2023, a highly experienced skydiver, holding a valid USPA-C license and with approximately 347 logged jumps, was participating in jumps at Skydive Dubai in Margham. After an initial successful jump earlier in the day, the skydiver embarked on a second jump at approximately 15:00 LT. During the freefall phase, the Squirrel LLC Epicene Pro-150 parachute experienced a line twist.
The skydiver attempted to correct the rotation by "kicking out," but the malfunction persisted. In an attempt to deploy the reserve, the skydver reached for the cutaway handle; however, the force applied was insufficient to fully release the main canopy, leaving the skydiver suspended on a single riser. While the reserve parachute was subsequently deployed, the skydiver accidentally grabbed the reserve bridle, causing it to wrap around his arm. The skydiver impacted the ground at approximately 15:38 LT, resulting in one fatality.
The investigation
The GCAA AAIS investigation examined the weather conditions, the skydiver's equipment, and the club's safety protocols. Investigators reviewed CCTV footage and meteorological data from the National Center for Meteorology. The investigation also reviewed the skydiver's training credentials and the club's safety briefing materials, including posters and instructional videos.
Findings
- The investigation established that wind gusts had occurred earlier in the day, leading to a temporary suspension of operations. The club resumed jumping based on surface wind data from the NCM, which did not account for wind speeds at higher altitudes.
- The inability to fully pull the cutaway handle was identified as the primary cause of the accident, as the insufficient force prevented the main canopy from being released.
- The skydiver's situational awareness was compromised by panic and a lack of timely, appropriate recovery actions.
- The club's safety briefing materials and posters lacked any specific instruction or guidance regarding the recovery of from line twists.
Safety action
As a result of the findings, the GCAA AAIS issued a safety recommendation (SR11/2023) to Skydive Dubai to increase awareness regarding the complexity of line twist emergencies and to formally include recovery procedures for such malfunctions in the safety briefings provided to all visiting skydivers.