PLT OF AEROBATIC BIPLANE LOSES CTL OF ACFT DURING SPIN. EJECTS CANOPY AND ORDERS PAX RPTR TO BAIL OUT. BEFORE EITHER LEAVES THE ACFT; IT SELF-RECOVERS FROM THE SPIN.

Narrative

I WAS A PAX ON AN AEROBATIC FLT. THE PLT ENTERED A CTLED PWR-OFF UPRIGHT SPIN TO THE L AT 6000 FT MSL. AFTER THE SPIN DEVELOPED; THE PLT APPLIED R AILERON TO ACCELERATE THE SPIN. I CAN'T REMEMBER IF I WAS FOLLOWING THROUGH ON THE CTLS WITH THE PLT OR NOT. I HEARD THE PLT ANNOUNCE THAT HE WAS INITIATING THE EMER SPIN RECOVERY TECHNIQUE THAT WE HAD BRIEFED ON THE GND. THE ACFT CONTINUED TO SPIN TO THE L. I THEN HEARD THE PLT COMMAND ME TO BAIL-OUT AND I FELT THE CANOPY LEAVE THE ACFT. I ATTEMPTED TO RELEASE MY 5 POINT HARNESS; BUT WAS FELT THAT IT WAS NOT RELEASING FOR SOME REASON. AFTER SOME PERIOD OF TIME; I REALIZED THAT THE HARNESS WAS INDEED RELEASED AND I STARTED TO REACH FOR THE UPPER WING TO PULL MYSELF OUT OF THE COCKPIT. AT THIS TIME THE ACFT RECOVERED FROM THE SPIN AND I STOPPED TRYING TO EXIT THE ACFT. I LOOKED BEHIND ME TO ENSURE THAT THE PLT HAD NOT BAILED OUT; AND HE FLEW THE ACFT BACK TO THE ARPT FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. AFTER THE INCIDENT WAS OVER; I REALIZED THAT I HAD INDEED RELEASED MY HARNESS ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT; BUT HAD MISTAKEN THE FEEL OF THE TAUT PARACHUTE STRAPS FOR THE HARNESS. IN THE FUTURE; BEFORE EVERY AEROBATIC FLT AS A PAX; I WILL BRIEF AND REHEARSE THE BAIL-OUT PROCS WITH THE PIC.