What happened
On 9 February 2008, at approximately 1115Z, a 34-year-old female parachutist participated in her first jump since joining the Bloemfontein Skydiving Club. The jump took place at Tempe Aerodrome in the Free State, involving a Skymaster 285 aircraft.
During the exit from the aircraft at 3500 ft AGL, the student failed to maintain the required arched body position. Instead, she pulled her arms inward and looked downward, causing her to roll forward. This movement initiated a front loop during the deployment of the main canopy. As the parachute deployed, two suspension lines became entangled around the student's right knee. This entanglement caused the fully inflated main canopy to enter a rapid, spiraling descent.
As the descent continued, the student attempted to activate the reserve parachute. However, the student did not jettison the main canopy until an altitude of less than 400 ft AGL. This late release, combined with the delayed activation of the reserve, left insufficient time for the reserve canopy to fully inflate before the student struck the ground. The impact resulted in one fatality.
The investigation
An investigation by the SACAA AIID examined the equipment, the sequence of events, and the student's training. The investigation confirmed that the weather conditions were favorable, with scattered clouds and a 7-knot wind, and did not contribute to the accident.
Technical inspections of the parachute equipment, including the main canopy and reserve, revealed no mechanical failures or evidence of tampering. The gear was found to be in a satisfactory, airworthy condition. The investigation also noted that the student had previously passed a harness evaluation and that a jumpmaster was present in the aircraft to provide guidance prior to the jump.