Scary Malfunction - Looking for cause

[davedlg 0]

I had a very scary thing happen to me on a jump a week ago and I am trying to figure out the cause. Has anyone ever heard of anything like this happening?

When I was landing, as the canopy fell to the ground I heard that distincitive "ka-chink" of the three rings disconnecting and the left riser came off. It was held onto the container only by the RSL. The cutaway handle was undisturbed and stowed in the pocket. After the riser came off, the cutaway cable was protuding from the housing just like it should be if it were hooked up.

I am very lucky that this did not happen in the air...regardless of how it unfolded, it would have been an ugly situation. If it had disconnected at deployment, it would have pulled the RSL and fired my reserve into my main which would have still been connected by the right riser. If it had happened at 100', it wouldn't have been good.

The container is a Wings W-22. The rig was fresh off a repack and the cutaway cables had been cleaned and lubricated as part of the repack. I checked the 3-ring assembley before the jump, and everything was correctly assembled. My rigger did not modify the cutaway system in any way during the repack. The cutaway cable is not too short so far as I can tell, as there is about 4 inches of excess cable. The jump was a very "hands-on" jump....we launched a 6-way tube. I had two people taking grips on my legstraps and I got kicked in the face pretty hard during the jump.

My theory on what happened is that during the jump, someone grabbed the MLW just above the cutaway handle, got the left cutaway cable with it and pulled it to within a quarter inch or so of cutting away the riser. This could have kept the cutaway cable just barely through the white loop, held on by tension throughout the canopy ride and when the tension came off the riser as the canopy collapsed to the ground, the cable fell through the white loop, cutting the riser away. There is about 2 inches of cable exposed between the top of the cutaway handle and the cable housing. I have tried on the ground, and been unable to get the cable to "stick" in the "almost cutaway" position described above.

After I got the canopy re-hooked up (It was a pain in the ass, the loose riser tangled through all the lines), I disconnected the RSL and jumped it again without incident. Based on this incident, I have disconnected the RSL. I really like the idea of an RSL, but it could have killed me in this situation.

The weird thing about the jump is I had a bad feeling about it from the begining. I double and triple checked my gear on the ground. I almost didn't go on the jump just because something didn't feel right.

[sundevil777 102]

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There is about 2 inches of cable exposed between the top of the cutaway handle and the cable housing.

I've never been able to understand why, is that the intended situation for some rigs?

I guess you'll be checking your 3-rings as part of your post-deployment checks now...

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[davedlg 0]

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I guess you'll be checking your 3-rings as part of your post-deployment checks now...

It was the first thing I checked on the next jump

[rigger_john 0]

Have you contacted the manufacture of the rig? I think they might be intrested in this one, also check with them the spec legnths of your cutaway cables, you may have been supplied with the wrong pad.

It's hard to imagine what might have caused this without seeing the rig, but it does sound IMO like some thing caused the cable to become misplaced during the jump.

I would be very tempted to see about having some sort of mod on the the exposed cables maybe some type 4 square weave stitched to the MLW to form an extension to the hard housings that will cover the exposed Lolon cable, again have your rigger talk to the manufacture about this. I've seen it done on some rigs but I can't remember which one's of the top of my head.

As an aside when I started jumping ram air equipment from rounds, I was taught to, take control, avoid if needed then do a 4 point check after deployment, the check was Handle, pad (pillow), cable, cable.

_________________________________________

Nullius in Verba

[Scoop 0]

Thats quite scary, I have a wings myself with RSL and being a new jumper no doubt me and my buddies will be doing stupid things with the excitement of jumping with each other. I've heard a few horror stories about RSLs. I don't want to re-ignite the age old 'RSL or no RSL' debate here, I'll research it doing a search but its food for thought definately.

Glad your alright, sounds like a pretty shitty jump all round

[justinb138 0]

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I've never been able to understand why, is that the intended situation for some rigs?

AFAIK, it isn't. I've got a Wings W-22 and don't have near that much cable exposed. Sounds like the housings might not have been tacked properly.

[riggermick 7]

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I had a very scary thing happen to me on a jump a week ago and I am trying to figure out the cause. Has anyone ever heard of anything like this happening?

When I was landing, as the canopy fell to the ground I heard that distincitive "ka-chink" of the three rings disconnecting and the left riser came off. It was held onto the container only by the RSL. The cutaway handle was undisturbed and stowed in the pocket. After the riser came off, the cutaway cable was protuding from the housing just like it should be if it were hooked up.

I am very lucky that this did not happen in the air...regardless of how it unfolded, it would have been an ugly situation. If it had disconnected at deployment, it would have pulled the RSL and fired my reserve into my main which would have still been connected by the right riser. If it had happened at 100', it wouldn't have been good.

The container is a Wings W-22. The rig was fresh off a repack and the cutaway cables had been cleaned and lubricated as part of the repack. I checked the 3-ring assembley before the jump, and everything was correctly assembled. My rigger did not modify the cutaway system in any way during the repack. The cutaway cable is not too short so far as I can tell, as there is about 4 inches of excess cable. The jump was a very "hands-on" jump....we launched a 6-way tube. I had two people taking grips on my legstraps and I got kicked in the face pretty hard during the jump.

My theory on what happened is that during the jump, someone grabbed the MLW just above the cutaway handle, got the left cutaway cable with it and pulled it to within a quarter inch or so of cutting away the riser. This could have kept the cutaway cable just barely through the white loop, held on by tension throughout the canopy ride and when the tension came off the riser as the canopy collapsed to the ground, the cable fell through the white loop, cutting the riser away. There is about 2 inches of cable exposed between the top of the cutaway handle and the cable housing. I have tried on the ground, and been unable to get the cable to "stick" in the "almost cutaway" position described above.

After I got the canopy re-hooked up (It was a pain in the ass, the loose riser tangled through all the lines), I disconnected the RSL and jumped it again without incident. Based on this incident, I have disconnected the RSL. I really like the idea of an RSL, but it could have killed me in this situation. I don't know that I am going to re-connect or ever jump with an RSL again unless I get a rig with a collins lanyard that won't fire the reserve unless both risers are disconnected.

The weird thing about the jump is I had a bad feeling about it from the begining. I double and triple checked my gear on the ground. I almost didn't go on the jump just because something didn't feel right.

Seen it happen twice. Both times were from the same cause, the type 2a loop was not routed through the grommet on the housing before the cable passed thgough it. The condition is not always easy to spot as seen from the side, that's why when you check your cable/ housing/ loop assembly you need to grab it and turn it while tugging gently on it. This will accomplish two things: It will allow you to see the whole assembly and if it's assembled correctly and if the loop doesn't pass through the grommet you will be able to pull the housing right off the back of the riser. Both of these incidents happend after the jumper landed both on the wearers left. The right side was in the same condition but due to it's inline orintation did not spring out to the side like the long housing always does. Hope this helps.


Mick.

[rigger_john 0]

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Sounds like the housings might not have been tacked properly.

I hope not as the original poster says

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The rig was fresh off a repack and the cutaway cables had been cleaned and lubricated as part of the repack. I checked the 3-ring assembley before the jump, and everything was correctly assembled. My rigger did not modify the cutaway system in any way during the repack.

_________________________________________

Nullius in Verba

[jumpjunkie 0]

Here's what I tell people that ask me about RSLs.

Yes, there are certain situations that an RSL could be a detriment. How often are you planning on being in those situations? If that is going to be normal for you, then an RSL is not a safety device that you should employ. But if those situations are few and far between and in most situations that you will find yourself in an RSL would possibly save your life, why not have it?

It sounds like the situation that you were in could have been prevented by 1) not participating in the jump, 2) having a better plan for where people's hands were during the jump.

I am taking it that your profile is correct. So at 156 jumps, do you have the confidence to be able to cutaway and activate your reserve if you are involved in a canopy collision at or below 1000 feet?

This is not meant to be mean, it is just something that I ask people. Some people say that they only feel comfortable doing it with a safety device, i.e. RSL or Skyhook.

So please consider what will be the most likely situations that you will be in at this time in your skydiving career.

Tubing, so easy a caveman can do it.

[davedlg 0]

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Seen it happen twice. Both times were from the same cause, the type 2a loop was not routed through the grommet on the housing before the cable passed thgough it. The condition is not always easy to spot as seen from the side, that's why when you check your cable/ housing/ loop assembly you need to grab it and turn it while tugging gently on it. This will accomplish two things: It will allow you to see the whole assembly and if it's assembled correctly and if the loop doesn't pass through the grommet you will be able to pull the housing right off the back of the riser. Both of these incidents happend after the jumper landed both on the wearers left. The right side was in the same condition but due to it's inline orintation did not spring out to the side like the long housing always does. Hope this helps.


Mick.

I'm actually pretty confident that it was hooked up correctly. My rigger was the one who hooked it up, and I was very through checking the rig on this jump, like I said I triple checked everything just because I had a bad feeling about it.

[davedlg 0]

I'm not going to get into the RSL / no RSL debate, I actually firmly believe in RSLs. However, with this particular rig and a now demonstrated problem, unless I figure out for certain what caused the problem and know I can 100% prevent it in the future, I think I am better off without it.

I have had a cutaway. I didn't even think of the RSL when it happened and I pulled the reserve handle.

[riggermick 7]

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Seen it happen twice. Both times were from the same cause, the type 2a loop was not routed through the grommet on the housing before the cable passed thgough it. The condition is not always easy to spot as seen from the side, that's why when you check your cable/ housing/ loop assembly you need to grab it and turn it while tugging gently on it. This will accomplish two things: It will allow you to see the whole assembly and if it's assembled correctly and if the loop doesn't pass through the grommet you will be able to pull the housing right off the back of the riser. Both of these incidents happend after the jumper landed both on the wearers left. The right side was in the same condition but due to it's inline orintation did not spring out to the side like the long housing always does. Hope this helps.


Mick.

I'm actually pretty confident that it was hooked up correctly. My rigger was the one who hooked it up, and I was very through checking the rig on this jump, like I said I triple checked everything just because I had a bad feeling about it.

Did you pull on the housing to make sure it was assembled correctly? If not this should become a part of your gear check.

Mick.

[davedlg 0]

Before every day of jumping I generally grab the riser, turn it and look at the cutaway cable and check that the cable is in the hard riser housing, not next to it. I probably would have noticed any incorrect routing when I did that.

I don't actually remember checking all this on the jump in question, but it is something I generally check. At any rate, you bring up a good point that this should be part of the check every time.

[davedlg 0]

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Thats quite scary, I have a wings myself with RSL and being a new jumper no doubt me and my buddies will be doing stupid things with the excitement of jumping with each other. I've heard a few horror stories about RSLs. I don't want to re-ignite the age old 'RSL or no RSL' debate here, I'll research it doing a search but its food for thought definately.

I'm certainly not trying to advocate disconnecting an RSL to anyone based on this experience. This is a pretty unusual occurance and you're probably much more likely to need an RSL due to a low cutaway then to have something like this happen.

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Glad your alright, sounds like a pretty shitty jump all round

Actually the jump was tons of fun. It was only scary in retrospect, as I was standing on the ground when I discovered the problem.

[justinb138 0]

In this situation the cable is held in place by the tension from the loop, then when the tension the loop is released (landing), the loop can simply slide right off of the end of the yellow cable, correct?

[masterrigger1 2]

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Seen it happen twice. Both times were from the same cause, the type 2a loop was not routed through the grommet on the housing before the cable passed thgough it. The condition is not always easy to spot as seen from the side, that's why when you check your cable/ housing/ loop assembly you need to grab it and turn it while tugging gently on it.

Mick,
That was my first thoughts as well.

I have seen it a couple of times in the past also.


BS,
MEL

Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC
www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

[riggerrob 643]

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Seen it happen twice. Both times were from the same cause, the type 2a loop was not routed through the grommet on the housing before the cable passed through it. The condition is not always easy to spot as seen from the side, that's why when you check your cable/ housing/ loop assembly you need to grab it and turn it while tugging gently on it.

Mick,
That was my first thoughts as well.

I have seen it a couple of times in the past also.


BS,
MEL

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Bingo!
The first few Bullets suffered the same problem.
Bobby McGeezer jokes about how his one riser would always cutaway right after landing. This freaked out Zeke so badly that he got on the phone with Bill Booth. A few weeks later, AMP fittings became standard on Bullets.

I also made that assembly mistake once, when switching canopies on my EZE-Flyer (Wonderhog clone). I was hung-over and rushing to swap canopies to make a load. The next thing I knew I was hanging under canopy, staring at white loops that were not routed through the AMP fittings.
Scared the shorts off of me!
After landing, I quietly re-routed the cables correctly before anyone else noticed.

Now kiddies, let's all sing a little song: "Papa ring, mama ring, baby ring, white string and yellow thing."
... and stare at your rings from the side while singing.

[faulknerwn 38]

Had the same thing happen to me once. Had forgotten to route the white loop through the grommit and the riser fell off after landing. Twas a definite scary awakening...

[diablopilot 2]

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Seen it happen twice. Both times were from the same cause, the type 2a loop was not routed through the grommet on the housing before the cable passed thgough it.

I've seen the same thing twice. Same problem.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[darkwing 5]

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Seen it happen twice. Both times were from the same cause, the type 2a loop was not routed through the grommet on the housing before the cable passed thgough it. The condition is not always easy to spot as seen from the side, that's why when you check your cable/ housing/ loop assembly you need to grab it and turn it while tugging gently on it.

Yup, I agree with Mick, in spite of the jumpers assertion otherwise. It is the simplest explanation, and the most (by far, I think) common cause consistent with event like this.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

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[riggermick 7]

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In this situation the cable is held in place by the tension from the loop, then when the tension the loop is released (landing), the loop can simply slide right off of the end of the yellow cable, correct?

A gold star for you!!

Mick.

[riggermick 7]

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Seen it happen twice. Both times were from the same cause, the type 2a loop was not routed through the grommet on the housing before the cable passed thgough it. The condition is not always easy to spot as seen from the side, that's why when you check your cable/ housing/ loop assembly you need to grab it and turn it while tugging gently on it.

Mick,
That was my first thoughts as well.

I have seen it a couple of times in the past also.


BS,
MEL

One of there guys was a TI and it still caught him off guard!! Overall it is a BAD PRACTICE to temporally hook up a main to check for continuity without passing the loop through the housing grommet. Haste makes waste, in this case human lives........... Fortunately everyone lived.


Mick.

[riggermick 7]

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Seen it happen twice. Both times were from the same cause, the type 2a loop was not routed through the grommet on the housing before the cable passed thgough it. The condition is not always easy to spot as seen from the side, that's why when you check your cable/ housing/ loop assembly you need to grab it and turn it while tugging gently on it.

Yup, I agree with Mick, in spite of the jumpers assertion otherwise. It is the simplest explanation, and the most (by far, I think) common cause consistent with event like this.

I always try to apply "occams razor" to any incident/ occurence. Occams razor basicly states: Of all possible answers the simpleist is most likely true (para phrased).


Mick.

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[tdog 0]

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I'm actually pretty confident that it was hooked up correctly. My rigger was the one who hooked it up, and I was very through checking the rig on this jump, like I said I triple checked everything just because I had a bad feeling about it.

I put money on the fact the white loop was not thru the grommet... I would tell your rigger what happened and suggest there is a possibility that he/she hooked it up wrong.

Not to say mistakes don't happen, I found myself doing it once myself when the loop slipped out of my hand and I thought I caught it before it slipped out of the grommet...

If you pull on the silver cutaway housings right near the loop you can tell if it is still hooked up to your 3 rings, and if it is hooked up in such a way that it will not come undone in freefall. I use this as a backup to my eyes on my check of threes...

[BenediktDE 2]

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Had the same thing happen to me once. Had forgotten to route the white loop through the grommit and the riser fell off after landing. Twas a definite scary awakening...

So did I and I am now part of every AFF ground school when it comes to give an example for "ask you instructor if you are not 110% sure"!

For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.