In a nerve-wracking incident, a skydiver’s parachute became entangled with a plane’s wing flap, leading to a dramatic sequence of events. The unexpected snag resulted in the skydiver being perilously suspended below the aircraft, with the tail suffering damage in the process.
As the parachute snagged and tore, it inadvertently set off a chain reaction. The tear allowed the skydiver’s main parachute to deploy, ultimately enabling a safe descent. Despite the frightening ordeal, the skydiver remarkably sustained only minor injuries upon landing.
Meanwhile, the pilot initially misjudged the situation, interpreting the extra drag as a stall. With quick thinking, the pilot increased power to stabilize the aircraft. However, upon realizing the true nature of the crisis, the pilot had to make swift adjustments to ensure the safety of all involved.
The skydiver landed safely, only suffering minor injuries.
The pilot was unaware the skydiver was caught on the plane, initially believing the aircraft had stalled, so they increased power.
However, he had to act quickly when they realised the gravity of the situation.
“Upon being told there was a skydiver hung up on the tailplane, they reduced power again,” ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said.
Once the skydiver was freed from the aircraft, the pilot was able to gradually and safely descend.
The pilot was wearing an emergency parachute, and was prepared to bail out should the situation have required it.
Mitchell said the incident was a reminder of skydivers to be aware of their surroundings.
The final report also found the aircraft was not loaded properly, though it clarified that was not a cause of the accident.
Mitchell said this finding should not be ignored, due to previous serious accidents from such an oversight.
“Fatal parachuting accidents have occurred in the past due to aircraft being loaded outside centre of gravity limits, which highlights the importance of conducting aircraft weight and balance calculations prior to each load,” he said.
