What happened
On 17 November 2019, at approximately 12:40 UTC, a student participating in an Accelerated Free Fall (AFF) training course was involved in a fatal accident at the Swakopmund Airfield Drop Zone. The student, a Chinese national, was performing a level 6 training jump accompanied by a qualified instructor.
The aircraft released the skydivers from 10,000 feet under normal operational conditions. Following instructions, the student deployed her main Navigator 200 parachute at 5,000 feet. Although she initially experienced a line twist upon deployment, video evidence confirmed she successfully rectified the issue and maintained stable flight. The instructor subsequently deployed his own parachute and lost visual contact with the student.
As the student approached the ground, the Safety Officer on the ground observed her descending in a slight right-hand turn. At approximately 4ally 400 feet, the student initiated a cutaway drill of the main parachute and attempted to deploy the reserve SMART 175 parachute. However, the deployment was unsuccessful due to insufficient altitude and equipment entanglement, resulting in a high-speed impact with the ground. The student sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation
The Directorate of Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigations conducted an inquiry assisted by an independent parachute expert. Investigators reviewed video footage of the jump, examined training records, and inspected the parachute equipment alongside Namibian Police investigators.
Technical analysis focused on the cutaway mechanism and the reserve deployment sequence. The investigation included a review of the student's altitude meter, which featured clear color-coded zones for deployment safety.