SKYDIVE PLT RPT OF JUMPER WHO MAY HAVE FALSIFIED DATES ON HIS RESERVE CHUTE. HE DIED OF INJURIES INCURRED FROM MAIN CHUTE NOT OPENING PROPERLY AND RESERVE CHUTE TANGLING IN MAIN CHUTE WHICH WAS NOT RELEASED. PARACHUTE JUMPING ACTIVITY PROCS.

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I WAS CONTRACTED TO FLY SKYDIVERS IN MY COMPANY KING AIR B90 WHICH IS SPECIALLY EQUIPPED FOR THIS TASK AND FLIES SKYDIVERS EVERY WKEND AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. A VERY EXPERIENCED SKYDIVER LEFT THE ACFT; ACTIVATED HIS MAIN PARACHUTE AT A VERY LOW ALT (ESTIMATED TO BE BELOW 1000 FT AGL); EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL MALFUNCTION OF HIS MAIN PARACHUTE; ACTIVATED HIS RESERVE PARACHUTE WITHOUT RELEASING THE MALFUNCTIONED MAIN PARACHUTE AND HIS RESERVE ENTANGLED WITH THE MAIN PARACHUTE. HE SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES ALTHOUGH REMAINING CONSCIOUS ALL THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL. I LEARNED LATER HE SUBSEQUENTLY DIED OF THE INJURIES HE SUSTAINED. I SUBSEQUENTLY ALSO LEARNED THAT THERE MAY BE SOME DOUBT IF HIS RESERVE PARACHUTE WAS 'IN DATE;' THAT IS; HAD BEEN PACKED WITHIN THE PRECEDING 120 DAYS BY AN FAA RIGGER. FAR 105.43 REQUIRES THE PIC TO NOT ALLOW ANY JUMP TO BE MADE FROM THAT ACFT UNLESS THE JUMPER HAS AN 'IN DATE' RESERVE. JUMP PLTS DEPEND ON THE DROP ZONE OPERATOR TO ENSURE THAT ALL EQUIP IS CHKED. THIS DROP ZONE DOES A GOOD JOB OF THAT. EACH JUMPER IS REQUIRED TO REGISTER; HIS CREDENTIALS ARE CHKED; HIS GEAR IS CHKED AND TAGGED. PRIOR TO BOARDING THE ACFT; THE GEAR TAG IS AGAIN CHKED. IT IS SPECULATED THAT THIS JUMPER REGISTERED WITH SOMEONE ELSE'S GEAR; OBTAINED A GEAR TAG ILLEGALLY; AND BOARDED THE ACFT WITH HIS OWN GEAR. IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE PLT TO CHK EACH RESERVE PACKING CARD ON EACH LOAD FOR EACH JUMPER. IT WOULD BE AKIN TO THE CAPT OF AN AIRLINER CHKING EACH SEAT BELT FASTENED BEFORE EACH TKOF. THERE SHOULD BE SOME PROVISION IN THE FAR FOR THE JUMP PLT TO DESIGNATE SOME PERSON TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS GEAR CHK; JUST AS AIRLINE CREWS SHARE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PREFLT ACTIONS.