What happened
On July 2, 2011, at approximately 15:30 UTC, a tandem skydive occurred at the Hosín airfield (LKHS). The tandem pilot performed a jump from an altitude of 4,000 m AGL from a Cessna 206, registration OK-ABE. The jump included a passenger and a cameraman.
The descent proceeded normally, with the main parachute, an Icarus tandem 365, deploying at 1,800 m AGL. During the final approach at approximately 100 m AGL, the pilot positioned the parachute into the wind to approach the designated landing area. At an altitude of approximately 20 m AGL, the pilot instructed the passenger to lift their legs, an instruction the passenger followed. However, at approximately 10 m AGL, a sudden, sharp wind gust caused a loss of lift and a subsequent collapse of the parachute, leading to a hard impact with the ground.
The pilot was uninjured, but the passenger sustained a serious injury consisting of a fractured lumbar vertebra. Medical personnel from the Air Rescue Service and ground emergency services attended the scene.
The investigation
The ÚZPLN investigation examined the pilot's experience, the maintenance of the parachute equipment, and the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. The investigation confirmed that the tandem pilot was properly licensed and experienced, having completed 1,425 total jumps. The investigation also verified that the parachute equipment, including the Icarus tandem 365 main canopy and the PD VR 360 reserve, was properly maintained and within its inspection intervals. Meteorological data from the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute indicated wind speeds of 10–15 knots with gusts up to 20 knots during the period.