What happened
During the Talvikotka 23 military exercise in the Ivalo region, two paratroopers sustained injuries while performing static line jumps from an NH/90 helicopter. The jumps were conducted using large, heavy, and bulky rucksacks, which made movement within the aircraft extremely difficult. Due to the size of the gear, the cabin was crowded, forcing the jumpers to sit tightly against one another.
As the jumpers prepared to exit, jump masters attempted to secure the static lines to a cable on the helicopter floor. However, the cramped conditions and the bulk of the rucksacks prevented the jump masters from clearly verifying the correct path of the lines.
In the first instance, a paratrooper's static line passed incorrectly inside his left arm. As the parachute deployed, the line tightened around his arm, causing a severe injury that required surgery and the termination of his military service. In a second, separate incident involving a different helicopter, another paratrooper experienced a similar failure where the line wrapped around his arm, resulting in serious injuries to his upper arm and the loss of his glove during the jump.
The investigation
The investigation examined the operational environment, the equipment used, and the training background of the personnel. Investigators reviewed cockpit and helmet camera footage, radar data, and weather analysis. The inquiry focused on why the static lines became entangled and whether the risk assessment for the exercise had adequately addressed the specific hazards of jumping from a helicopter compared to the standard practice of jumping from a CASA C-295M aircraft.
Findings
- The primary cause of the injuries was the static line wrapping around the jumpers' arms during deployment.
- The use of an NH90 helicopter instead of the planned CASA C-295M aircraft introduced new hazards, as the NH90's floor-mounted attachment points and cramped interior made it difficult for jump masters to inspect the lines.
- The jumpers had limited experience with helicopter-based jumps, as their training had primarily focused on fixed-wing aircraft.
- The heavy rucksacks obstructed movement and prevented jump masters from ensuring the lines were routed correctly.
- The risk assessment for the exercise failed to identify the specific dangers associated with the transition from fixed-wing to rotary-wing jumping procedures.
- Previous safety reports had identified the risk of lines wrapping around arms, but this information had not been fully integrated into the exercise's risk management.