2017 skydive palatka safety day presentation

United States Parachute Association

2016Fatality Summary

Five-Year Averages 1997-2016

1997-2001 2002-2006 2007-2011 2012-20160

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

34.625.42221.8

Experience Level-2016

Student A B C D0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Experience Level

14

11

4

1

Landing Problem-2Equipment Problem-4Camera Entanglement-1Intentional Low Turn-1Unintentional Low Turn-1Cutaway-No Reserve-2Freefall Collision-2Medical-2Canopy Collision-1Incorrect Emrgency Procedures-4Airplane Strike-1

2016 Canopy-Related Fatalities-5

24%

Under Parachute (5/21)

• Canopy collisions: 1, jumper struck the back of another jumper while both were on final

• Landing problems: 2, two separate instances of jumpers killed when they landed off the airport (tree, billboard)

• Intentional high performance landing: 1• Unintentional low turn: 1

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Unintentional—Trying to avoid an obstacle or face into the wind with a last-second turn.

Intentional—Trying to make a high-performance landing and misjudging the turn.

Intentional vs. UnintentionalLow Turn Landings 1999-2016


2016 Incorrect Emergency Procedures

Incorrect Eps (4/21)

• Tandem pair: incorrect response to a collapsed drogue

• Student: deployed reserve before cutting away• Jumper had 2 parachutes out that went into a

downplane, did not cutaway

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

0

1

2

3

4

5

Incorrect Emergency Procedures 1999-2016


Equipment Problems-4

Equipment Problems (4/21)

• Incorrect 3 ring assembly: did not pass the loop through the metal grommet first before inserting the cutaway cable

• Student: unknown problem, possible suicide• Jumper had a premature brake fire and

cutaway too low• Jumper had a worn out main parachute that

collapsed when a front riser turn was initiated

0123456789

1019

9920

0020

0120

0220

0320

0420

0520

0620

0720

0820

0920

1020

1120

1220

1320

1420

1520

16

Equipment Problems 1999-2016


Medical Related-2

• 47 year old with known heart condition• 61 year old new to the sport

0

1

2

3

4

Medical Related 2000-2016

• Youngest 40 years old• Oldest 73 years old• Average 60 years old


Cutaway, No/Low Reserve Pull-2

Use of an RSL or MARD device can help ensure the reserve is activated after cutting away from the main canopy. RSL=Reserve Static LineMARD=Main Assisted Reserve Device


Freefall Collisions-2

• Two wingsuiters collided soon after exit-one died• Two jumpers collided after break-off during a hoop dive-one died


Other-2

• Steering line entangled with a helmet mounted GoPro camera• Military re-enactor had his belly-mounted reserve activated in the door of the AC


Four easy ways to reduce fatalities by 80%

21 Total 4 TotalX

• Smarter Canopy Piloting• Awareness in Freefall• Proper Emergency Procedures• Using a Reserve Static Line

1961: 5 fatalities per 1000 skydives2016: less than 1 fatality per 100,000 skydives (Index rate of .006)

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

0

500000

1000000

1500000

2000000

2500000

3000000

3500000

4000000

4500000

1961

1963

1965

1967

1969

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

2013

2015

Fatalities

Total/Year

Rate

Expon. (Rate)

Index Rate

2017 skydive palatka safety day presentation

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