Andy_Copland 0 #1 February 28, 2007 Quoteafter deploying his main parachute, his reserve deployed accidently. (He was jumping a Dolphin container). He made several jumps on this container that day, but did not notice the RSL laynard routing problem that developed from mishandling the container. His man risers pulled the RSL lanyard out and dumped his reserve into his main. He then compounded issues by cutting away his main. He spun around without control of either parachute from 4000 feet or so while a couple of hundred people watched. He disappeared behinf the tree line. I was one of the first persons on the scene. Expecting to see a badly broken and mangled body, Mike was laying flat on his back in thick mud. He was unscathed. He returned from the hospital a few hours later with nothing but a single scratch on his neck. whew! after careful inspection of the video you can see that the main has at least 4 cells inflated. The reserve is creating drag as well to slow him down to a survivable speed. In addition, landing in soft thick mud and bushes broke his fall. Could anyone explain how mishandling a rig could cause this? Edit: Forgot vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fienNK0DtUA1338 People aint made of nothin' but water and shit. Until morale improves, the beatings will continue. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,991 #2 February 28, 2007 If you route the RSL OVER the riser instead of under, then the RSL gets pulled on when the main opens. In some cases this is enough pull to open the reserve. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yossarian 0 #3 February 28, 2007 i love the title of the video, nice and dramatic Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2cmyzx 0 #4 February 28, 2007 I dont know how familiar with Mirage rigs everyone is but they have a small spandex type pouch to hold the excess of the rsl line. This line is folded back together for about a 1" and stows in the pocket just above the rsl shackle. I was going up for a H+P last fall and I always check my handles and look at the three rings. To my suprise I noticed that the excess rsl line had come out of that little pouch and the rsl shackle was stuck in the three ring I just undid the rsl and attached to the hard housing for that jump but this could have prevented a cutaway if I would have had a emergency! The last thing I do is make sure this excess in stowed in the pouch when I pack so somewhere from gearing up and on the plane it became disloged. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnny1488 1 #5 February 28, 2007 It also had a lot to do with how the reserve was packed on that rig. The jumper was inexperienced and had asked someone about it. He was told ( I don't know by who) that it was fine to jump. The riser that the rsl was on was loose and slack going over the shoulder. When the main deployed, it some how pulled on the reserve riser and in turn deployed the reserve. That's why they call him Miracle Mike!! Johnny --"This ain't no book club, we're all gonna die!" Mike Rome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
