What happened
On July 15, 2015, at Příbram Airport (LKPM), a 30-year-old female skydiver was participating in a group formation jump from an altitude of 4,000 m AGL. The jump was part of a scheduled training session for a group of Israeli nationals. The skydiver exited the aircraft in a pair with her brother, following an instructor. After successfully stabilizing their freefall position, the pair separated to continue their descent independently.
At approximately 1,200 m AGL, the skydiver deployed her NAVIGATOR 200 main parachute. Immediately following deployment, the parachute entered a high-speed clockwise spiral descent. Despite the instructor and jump coordinator observing the descent, the skydiver did not attempt to deploy her reserve parachute. The descent continued in a rapid spiral until she impacted the ground at an estimated speed of 14.1 m/s, resulting in fatal injuries.
The investigation
Investigators from the ÚZPLN examined the parachute equipment, including the main parachute, reserve parachute, harness, and the m2 AAD automatic activation device. The investigation included a review of video footage from helmet cameras, witness statements from the instructor and jump coordinator, and meteorological data from the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute.
Post-impact medical examinations confirmed that the cause of death was a torn aorta due to intense blunt force trauma. The investigation also included a specialized technical analysis of the parachute assembly to determine if any mechanical failures contributed to the uncontrolled descent.