What happened
On August 18, 2001, at the Lamminmaa aerodrome in Kauhajoki, a fatal skydiving accident occurred during a joint training camp organized by the Satakunta and Vaasa skydiving clubs. The jump was part of an 8-way formation attempt involving two aircraft, OH-CAD and OH-CNU, performing a 'sitway' (seated) formation from 3,000 meters.
During the descent, the jumpers deployed their parachutes between 400 and 800 meters. The landing pattern was designed to have jumpers approach from the north and execute a final right-hand turn to avoid a designated area used by paragliders. While executing this final turn at approximately 50 meters altitude, the deceased jumper collided with the leading edge or upper surface of another jumper's parachute, who was trailing in a tailwind component.
The impact caused the deceased jumper's forward momentum to cease almost entirely, leading to a rapid increase in descent rate. The jumper struck the ground feet-first, with the impact force concentrated on the right leg, pelvis, and torso. The jumper died from an aortic rupture caused by the high-velocity impact.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft used, the parachutes, and the equipment of the deceased. The investigation also reviewed the weather conditions, the jumper's experience, and the jump planning. The primary parachute was a Springo 120, and the reserve was a Techno 128. The investigation found that the equipment was well-maintained and no mechanical failures were identified in the parachutes or the deployment system.
Investigators also analyzed the jumper's training and experience level. While the jumper was a qualified C-level skydiver with 248 total jumps, the investigation noted that the specific high-performance elliptical parachute used required a higher level of automated handling skills than the jumper had yet mastered.
Findings
Several contributing factors were identified that may have distracted the jumper from maintaining airspace surveillance during the final approach:
- The jumper was performing her first 8-way formation and her first jump from a two-aircraft formation.
- The jumper lacked sufficient experience with high-performance elliptical parachutes, specifically regarding the wing loading, which exceeded the recommended 1.1 lbs/sqft for jumpers with fewer than 250 jumps.
- The jumper's altimeter was displaying a significantly lower altitude than the actual height, which may have led to an incorrect assessment of the remaining altitude.
- The weather was characterized by gusty and turbulent conditions, which the jumper had previously found difficult to manage.
- The jump was not planned with sufficient detail, and the group included participants with varying levels of skill for the complexity of the maneuver.
- Other potential distractions included the presence of a news photographer on the landing field and the attempt to reach the pre-planned landing spot despite the wind conditions.