What happened
On October 16, 2023, at approximately 15:15 UTC, a skydiver was performing a training jump from a Cessna 172 (registration OK-PRI) at the Strakonice airfield (LKST) as part of a precision landing practice session. The jumper exited the aircraft at an altitude of 1,000 meters.
After maintaining a stable belly-to-earth position for approximately three seconds, the skydiver flipped onto their back. While in this unstable position, the individual continued to fall without attempting to correct the orientation. The skydiver eventually deployed the main parachute, but the activation occurred too low to the ground to effectively decelerate the descent. The impact resulted in fatal injuries.
The investigation
The ÚZPLN investigation examined the skydiver's equipment, meteorological conditions, and witness testimonies from the jump group. The investigation confirmed that the skydiver was an experienced professional with over 570 jumps and a valid category C license. The equipment, a North American Aerodynamics, Inc. Jalbert Parafoil 2000, was found to be in good technical condition and appropriate for the jumper's weight and skill level.
Witnesses, including other members of the jump group, noted that the skydiver appeared to be in good physical and mental condition prior to the jump. One witness observed the skydiver falling in an unstable position on their back and noted that the individual appeared to have "frozen" or lost track of time and space due to the high physical and psychological stress of the situation.
Findings
- The skydiver failed to restore a stable belly-to-earth position after the initial flip.
- The skydiver did not activate the reserve parachute despite being well below the required 600-meter altitude for a safe deployment.
- The main parachute was deployed too low to ground level, preventing the canopy from fully inflating and slowing the vertical descent to a survivable speed.
- Medical examinations ruled out any underlying health failure as a cause of the accident.
- Meteorological conditions were within safe limits for skydiving operations.