rob@ireta.cynic.wimsey.bc.ca (Rob Prior) (02/06/91)
esj@gnarley.eng.ufl.edu (Eric S. Johnson) writes: > [text deleted about tangled skydivers] > > Why didn't the lower person cut away. From the article it seems they > had the altitude? I would think that they were too shocked at being tangled in each other to notice their altimeters... Unless they had time to be calm and think about the situation. I don't think they would, but I may be wrong. Somehow I think that I would probably try to untangle myself, not cut away. It just seems to be a gut reaction to me... Although if I jumped solo and it didn't open, the decision to cut away would be easy... I almost had to once. Rob +------------ | rob@ireta.cynic.wimsey.bc.ca | Rob Prior, President, Still Animation Logo Design +------------------------------------------------------------
esj@gnarley.eng.ufl.edu (Eric S. Johnson) (02/13/91)
The following is paraphased from a report in the local newspaper. I was not in Keystone when this happened. I know of the people involved, and have friends who jump at Keystone. I jump at Palatka, and was probably there when this happened. (This was the first clear weekend in 'bout a month in north central Florida, so I imagine a lot of folks were busy jumping) Two jumpers in collided shortly after opening. The two women were doing a two-way from 9500. Immediatly after they dumped at ~2500' they collided. The lower persons chute collapsed and entangled around the higher person. This is the direct quote from the newspaper: "In the few seconds after ther chutes opened at about 2500 feet, before the second or two it takes to gain control of the direction of glide, skydiver#1's parachute tangled around skydiver#2's face" With only one good chute (and it in a spin) they fell pretty fast and crashed onto a tin roof. Both survived. The lower person has some fairly serious neck injuries, but is expected to recover completly. The upper person was treated and released. So my question is: (and this is only on the hypothetical level, I don't question the judgement of anyone who lives thru situtations like these ;-) Why didn't the lower person cut away. From the article it seems they had the altitude? Ej
zort@oak.circa.ufl.edu (02/14/91)
TO: esj@gnarley.eng.ufl.edu (Eric S. Johnson)
I have tried to e-mail you this note, but the school vax does not
recognise gnarley as a valid node. Do you have an account on a
circa vax at which I could contact you?
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(ZORT) "Yield to temptation it may not pass you again." L.L.
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/ | \kas@hpcvia.CV.HP.COM (ken_scofield) (02/14/91)
>From: esj@gnarley.eng.ufl.edu (Eric S. Johnson) >Subject: Mid air canopy crash >Message-ID: <1991Feb12.205904.20430@eng.ufl.edu> > > >Two jumpers in collided shortly after opening. The two women were doing a >two-way from 9500. Immediatly after they dumped at ~2500' they collided. >The lower persons chute collapsed and entangled around the higher person. > >This is the direct quote from the newspaper: >"In the few seconds after ther chutes opened at about 2500 feet, before >the second or two it takes to gain control of the direction of glide, >skydiver#1's parachute tangled around skydiver#2's face" > >With only one good chute (and it in a spin) they fell pretty fast and crashed >onto a tin roof. Both survived. The lower person has some fairly serious >neck injuries, but is expected to recover completly. The upper person >was treated and released. > > >So my question is: (and this is only on the hypothetical level, I don't >question the judgement of anyone who lives thru situtations like these ;-) > >Why didn't the lower person cut away. From the article it seems they >had the altitude? Just an anecdote: I had exactly the same experience a few years ago. I was the "top" person, and my canopy was fully open and functional. The jumper hanging below me had lots of time (relatively speaking) to assess the situation. We even "discussed" the best course of action -- stay together or cut away -- for nearly a minute. He finally decided to cut away, and we both landed without further incident. In the story above, it appears the top canopy was dropping pretty fast due to the spin, but even so, they were probably dropping much slower than a 'garbage ball' malfunction. I see no reason why the bottom jumper would not have had plenty of time to cut away. Brainlock, I suppose. Ken Scofield C-9355 SSI #453890085 ^ Hewlett-Packard, ICO Phone: (503)750-2426 |----/-\----| 1020 NE Circle Blvd. (kas@hpcvia.CV.HP.COM) | Gone | Corvallis, OR 97330 (ucbvax!hplabs!hp-pcd!kas) | Divin' or | | Jumpin' | Cute Disclaimer: Nobody ever listened to me before, |-----------| so why start now?
ds4a@dalton.acc.Virginia.EDU (Dale Southard) (02/15/91)
From a bunch of previous posts... +-------- |> [text deleted about tangled skydivers] |> |> Why didn't the lower person cut away. From the article it seems they |> had the altitude? | |I would think that they were too shocked at being tangled in each other to |notice their altimeters... Unless they had time to be calm and think about |the situation. I don't think they would, but I may be wrong. +-------- This brings up an interseting discussion topic: Should the USPA be requiring CRW in its license programs? I was talking with Paul Sitter about this a few years ago. He said that USPA was of the opinion that jumpers learn the necessary avoidance/emergency techniques on their way to fufilling the accuracy requirement. Comments? My _Opinion_: The D license should have as a requirement one (1) CRW formation. Anything, even a two-stack. That would be enough to teach them that canopies don't bite. And in learning to build a formation, the jumper would learn more about canopy control RELATIVE to other jumpers, something I don't believe accuracy teaches very effectively. Of course none of this may apply to the incident we were discussing. --> --> Dale UVa (ds4a@virginia.edu)
bchurch@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU (Bob Church) (02/15/91)
esj@gnarley.eng.ufl.edu (Eric S. Johnson) writes: > > [text deleted about tangled skydivers] > > Why didn't the lower person cut away. From the article it seems they > had the altitude? The article never states who was entangled with who. The lower jumper received neck injuries. If this was because of the upper jumpers lines being around her neck a cutaway would not have felt too good. Just guessing. Bob Church D-8195 NFS #27