cypres420 0 #1 April 30, 2001 I experienced my first scare this weekend. I was doing level 7 of the AFP, and I was coming in for my landing when I thought I was lower than I actually was. So, my jumpmaster is telling me to turn left turn left turn left. I turned enough to get cross wind and pick up a lot of speed. When I flared it didnt do to much for me. I tried to run it out but my legs can't move that fast. I got one foot on the ground and fell over on my side and slid on the ground for about 20 feet, smiling the entire way. Although I could have been seriously hurt I did the right thing by falling on my side and walked away with a smile, and both legs still intact. Unfortunatly there was a girl who wasn't so lucky that same day. She had a malfunction and tried to fix it the entire way down. She never cut away to pull her reserve, she just bounced. She will be okay. She was sitting up and she know what day it was. Light it up and pass it to the left!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cyberskydive 0 #2 April 30, 2001 Sounds like you had an "other than desirable landing", and the girl is damn lucky- where do you jump?D.Chisolm C-28534webmaster@sunraydesigns.comhttp://www.sunraydesigns.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cypres420 0 #3 April 30, 2001 skydive chicago. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dutchboy 0 #4 May 1, 2001 I saw a really nasty landing this Saturday. He started his 180 degree hook turn too low. He at least realized it when he hit 90 degrees or he would probably be dead. He landed hard on the pavement in from of the hangar sliding and rolling. He burned several holes in his container and destroyed his reserve PC as well at a minimum. He was scraped up a bit. He eventually limped away with some help. He was lucky he wasn't more seriously hurt and that he landed 20 feet from medical personel.On the same load, right after watching this I saw several people swooping and all landing different directions as the winds were light and variable. We made a point of picking a landing direction from that point onward. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ramon 0 #5 May 1, 2001 Yah. Light variable winds = "Watch the fuck out!" ha ha.I hate that, "sub 100" FXs/VXs all landing cross wind for fun and then the rest of the load lands every which way.bloo skiesramon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deleted 0 #6 May 1, 2001 This past Sunday was a gorgeous day at the DZ. The sky was clear, the winds were nice, two otters flying.. Everybody’s having a blast. The day couldn’t getting any better. I’m working in the box and my friend Mike stops by on his way out to do his third jump of the day, just to say hi. He’s a newer jumper (jump #49), really nice guy, still pretty conservative in the air and under canopy. Usually pulls fairly high. He heads off to the plane and I get back to work.Half an hour later, sitting in the box, we hear the entire dropzone gasp, and people start yelling “Double Mal!” and “call 911!”I stick my head out of the box and look up to see a jumper tearing through three grand with a world of shit over his head, and no hope of recovery. The girl working with me in manifest was on the phone with 911 instantly, and I’m on the p/a paging the medical/emergency people who jump at our place out to the landing area (although they were already on their way there). Then all we could do was watch helplessly as he fought to get something useful over his head. He fought that bitch right to the ground. As he got lower in the sky, closer to impact, my line of sight was cut off by a building. Now it was just a matter of waiting for those on the scene to radio back and tell us who it used to be. Then next thing I know my friend Julie, Mike’s wife, is standing in front of me, telling me that it’s Michael. She sure, she’s positive. It was his canopy, his jumpsuit. She has to go out there and see him for herself. I came outside and took her by the arm, to walk her out to where her husband had landed. The whole way there, to the far end of the dz, the other side of the runway, we held onto each other and tried to prepare ourselves for what we were about to see; tried to ignore the conversations of the jumpers we were passing who, not knowing that it was his wife rushing past them, were saying he had to be gone. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind this jumper was a dead man. At best, if you can call it that, he would be crippled for life.Well, apparently Mike has led a very good life or something, and has stocked up some really good karma. He missed hitting the runway by about 50 or so feet. He came down along side some low trees and landed in ankle deep mud. He was conscious, nothing apparent broken or bleeding. The ambulance arrived and they took him to the hospital. There they checked him from top to bottom. The end result is that he has a sprained neck. That’s all. He literally walked away. By 930 that night he was back at the dropzone, shortly after that he was over at Benson's, buying a round for the house. Is that some shit or what? So now he has been christened "Miracle Mike."The cause of the mal is still being investigated. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pammi 0 #7 May 1, 2001 holy shit"The question is not whether we will die, but how we will live." http://trak.to/skydivechick Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cyberskydive 0 #8 May 1, 2001 Double holy super scary shit!D.Chisolm C-28534webmaster@sunraydesigns.comhttp://www.sunraydesigns.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zennie 0 #9 May 1, 2001 You could call him Dead Mike, but that name's already taken. Reminds me of that video of the guy who cuts away his main ("Bye bye!" <>) and winds up with a lineover on his reserve. He fights it and gets it cleared *right* before he reaches the ground. Soon as he's down you see him turn the camera on himself and he goes "Holy.... fucking.... shit! I'm done for the day!" Both scary and hilarious at the same time. (anyone know where I can find that?)BTW. Will his wife let him skydive again after that? Liz would ground me permanently.------------Blue Skies!Zennie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mountainman 0 #10 May 1, 2001 QuoteDouble holy super scary shit!You've summed up my thoughts!! I'm sure glad that he was OK. Maybe I'll go out and buy one of thost chest mounted reserves..."just in case".NEW AND IMPROVED!!!http://home.woh.rr.com/brandonandlaura/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeMcLean 0 #11 May 1, 2001 Thank you for describing events on the ground. I am the jumper being referred to. So, the events from my perspective ......Normal, stable free fall, practiced some 180 and 360 turns. The main plan on the dive was to deploy early, work with the canopy a bit (this was a rental canopy) and set up good and well to land in the peas. I almost did this jump as a hop-n-pop since what I really wanted to practice was canopy.At 5 grand I deployed my main. The reserve immediately deployed into the main. At most there was a second between the main opening and the reserve opening. Cause of the reserve opening is still unknown.First glance showed a stack (reserve inside of main) that looked like it was going to be stable -- therefore no immediate chop. Within a few seconds, the main began to peel off to the left and collapse at the same time. I made the decision to cutaway and pulled the cutaway handle. As the main was leaving, the main risers caught on the left side reserve lines and created a braid. The braid threw me into a spin which caused the left and right side reserve lines to braid and collapse the reserve.From my point of view all I could see was a ball of white shit. In my mind was the thought that if I could stop and reverse the spin the main would let loose and let the reserve re-inflate. After fighting the reserve risers and kicking I was able to stop the spin, and even get 2-3 reverse spins in place. I saw the reserve catch a little bit of air and began to think that my plan may work. BANG! I hit the ground, hard. Luckily I hit in some soft, young sapling trees in some muddy ground. My first though was Shit, I am alive. My second thought was don't move. Within seconds a DZ regular jumper (EMT) was on scene and immobilizing my head and neck. Within a few more seconds there were more people around and I was being taken care of -- very well taken care of. The ambulance arrived, I was placed in a neck brace and back board and in route. At the hospital they cleared my x-rays and let me go.Today is two days after and I am sore, very sore. I am also very lucky. A number of things went the good-luck side and saved my life. The video shows that the tangled main had 3 full cells inflated. The non inflated part of the main caught on a tree just before I hit and slowed me down a bit more. The few main cells, the little bit of reserve, and the soft area of the DZ all conspired to keep me alive. Ten feet the away to one side was heavy, strong trees; 50 feet the other direction was the paved runway.I will be on the ground until my muscle stiffness goes away and I feel normal. Probably not this weekend, probably next. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkySlut 0 #12 May 1, 2001 Thats quite the story...Please let us know what the results of the investigation as to what caused this was. I would be very interested to find out. Thats scary shit, man. How tasty was that beer after that...wheeeew!-Slut"I'll jump anything!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pammi 0 #13 May 1, 2001 Wow. Thank you for telling us what happened Mike. I'm in awe of you keeping such a clear head during the whole thing...I hope that I will do that well on any malfunction I may have! I'm so glad that you came out of it okay and are here to tell us about it yourself!! Pammi"The question is not whether we will die, but how we will live." http://trak.to/skydivechick Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deleted 0 #14 May 1, 2001 Hi, This is Julie, Mike's Wife. In response to the question if I would let him skydive again. As long as he feels alright, he'll be in the air Mother's Day Weekend. I can't stop him from doing what he loves. Besides, it's 1 in a million to have a double mal and another 1 in a million to walk away. I happen to be the luckiest woman in the world. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Greg 0 #15 May 1, 2001 GOOD GAWD!!! Thankfully, thats one story for your grandkids man!! Have you considered playing the lottery, or going to Vagas? Seriously, that is an amazing story, Im glad you are OK, damn, I would still be just checking myself over and over again, just checking to be sure I was still complete, that nobody missed something, I guess in pure disbelief, man I am beside myself, just glad you are still with us dude. DAMN, Im freakin.What kind of container, main, reserve were you jumping, cypres equiped? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skreamer 1 #16 May 1, 2001 You, my friend, have balls of steel. I am on pretty much the same number of jumps as yourself. I like to think I would have been as composed as yourself - both in that situation and now two days later, but seriously doubt it. You are a very lucky man to be alive, and an even luckier man to have such an awesome wife to share your life with. Please won't you make that video footage available on the net? You walked away (well that evening you did) from a double mal - this pretty much makes you a living legend in my book, dude!Will Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarkM 0 #17 May 1, 2001 Damn.Glad to see you fought your way in.So how many beers do you owe? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #18 May 1, 2001 Mike, after reading your story, I can only conclude that you are definitely meant to be among us for a while longer! I'm glad you made it through that all right, and I'm glad you have the guts to go back into the air. And, what a great wife you have to support you like that! You are a lucky man, many times over.Blue Skies-Andrea Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mountainman 0 #19 May 1, 2001 I'll just be repeating what everyone else said, but I am still in awe from when I read this earlier! You really made an impact on me for how prepared you have to be. It seems like all I hear about (mostly that is) is to be ready to deploy your reserve and then float down to safety. But, when you tell about this, it really makes you want to be ready for ANYTHING!! Thanks for sharing and hope to see you on the forum more often!!My wife and I are going to be doing AFF this summer and I hope that she will be as cool as your wife and understand the odds and so forth. I wish you the quickest healing and the bluest skies when you get back to the DZ. Have a good one (and a cold one on me)!!!NEW AND IMPROVED!!!http://home.woh.rr.com/brandonandlaura/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diver123 0 #20 May 1, 2001 Where was this at? All I know, is I want whatever "karma" he had looking out for him on my side should I ever get in that situation..."pull high! It's lower than you think..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SniperCJ 0 #21 May 1, 2001 Congratulations Mike! You get the "big ole brass balls" award!!Excellent job of keeping your head and working all the way to the ground on the problem. It paid off in a BIG way.If youre ever at Skydive Dallas ALL your beer is on me!JC Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zennie 0 #22 May 1, 2001 Quoteit's 1 in a million to have a double mal and another 1 in a million to walk away. I happen to be the luckiest woman in the world.I think y'all need to go right out and buy a lottery ticket! ------------Blue Skies!Zennie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zennie 0 #23 May 1, 2001 QuoteAll I know, is I want whatever "karma" he had looking out for him on my side..Ya give good Karma, ya get good Karma.------------Blue Skies!Zennie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zennie 0 #24 May 1, 2001 Dude. Way to go man.You are a living example of Skydiving Rule #8: Never give up.Glad to hear you're OK. If you're ever down Houston way at Spaceland, ask for me and I'll buy ya a beer. Heck, tell your story and the whole DZ will prolly buy you a beer! ------------Blue Skies!Zennie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ADRNALN 0 #25 May 1, 2001 MY HERO!!!!!!!Way to go!!!!!!!!! KUDOS with a capital "K"!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
