broken hand jump 5

[SCOTT735 0]

I posted this in the safety forum as well, not sure which is more applicable.

Well I feel pretty dissapointed. I just started jumping (have felt completely hooked on this crazy sport since my tandem jump a couple of months ago..age 47), and now I broke my hand during the landing on jump 5.
I did my final static line PRCP, which went great until I landed. I was going faster than normal (maybe flared a bit late?). I am not sure, I am pretty sure I flared when the radio said flare/flare/flare, but didn't slow down as much as the previous times. I did notice that the canopy wanted to turn slightly left during the ride down but it felt fully controllable.
I tried to do a PLF, but I think I had my hands fully down at the side of my hips instead of in front (toggles in hand). So I guess my left hand was between my left thigh and the ground as I slid a bit on my left side (my knuckles were scraped not my palms). My wrist is fine, but I broke two bones on the back of the hand between my knuckles and wrist.
It sucks, this was the first jump that I didn't feel really scared and while I was under canopy I felt confident that I would get to do my first jump off the static line that day...oh well, I guess I am done...at least until spring.
I weighed myself at 213lbs, with all my gear I weighed 248 and I jumped with a Manta 260 student canopy. The wind was about 7mph (I didn't feel it was any stronger than my other jumps).
Well if you have read this entire ramble of a post, I would appreciate any advice to help me overcome this. I really want to jump again, but I am abit concerned about this happening again. Any advice on learning more about landings without jumping so that I can jump again with some confidence would be appreciated.
This sport is really amazing and I don't want this to be the end of it.
My instructor didn't really have any advice..he said he did not see the landing, and the radio guy didn't have anything to say about it.

[davelepka 4]

Overall it just sounds like you took a bad fall during the landing. Sometimes injuries are just injuries, and not 'related' to skydiving, even if they happened while skydiving. I'm sure you've heard of people tripping and breaking bones, or stepping off a curb and twisting an ankle, it's not that walking or curbs are dangerous, it's just that sometimes things go wrong.

That aside, I will mention that the canopy they have you jumping might be on the small side for a guy your size. With an exit weight of 250, and considering your age, I would much rather see you on a 280, 290, or even a 300 if they have one available.

Another factor is the type of canopy. Newer Mantas were produced with a ZP fabric on the top skin of the canopy, and what this does is make the canopy more efficient (essentialy). ZP fabric does not let any air pass through the fabric itself, and better 'seals' the air inside the canopy. The other type of fabric used is called F-111, and it does allow some air to pass through the fabric, the amount of air will depend on the age and number of jumps on the canopy. Older canopies or higher use canopies will pass more air through them and become less and less efficient as a result.

An older, F-111 260 might only be able to support the weight of a newer, ZP 240 or 230. Regardless, even if the 260 was a newer, ZP version, a 260 is still probably too small for a jumper your weight with only 5 jumps under your belt.

Would ths have made the difference on your landing? Who knows, if you fell the same way jumping a larger, slower canopy, you still would have pinned your hand between the ground and your body weight, so nobody can say for sure. However, all things considered, I would prefer to be going slower than faster anytime I had to hit the ground for any reason.

[SCOTT735 0]

DAVELEPKA,
Thanks alot for the advice. I'm really looking for some sound input from this forum since you all have the experience. Of course I will go over anything I hear in this forum with any instructor I get for a jump.
I will insist on using the 290 student canopy from now on (after I heal, make sure I fully understand what I did wrong and regain the nerve to jump again).
Both times I used the 290 the landing was soft. this was the second landing that I touched down with more speed than I could stand up with and they were both using a 250 and a 260.
Man, I really want to sort this out and continue jumping. I hope I can since this is the most excitin/fulfilling sport I have ever been involved with.
Thanks again.

[davelepka 4]

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Man, I really want to sort this out

I think you did, here-

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Both times I used the 290 the landing was soft. this was the second landing that I touched down with more speed than I could stand up with and they were both using a 250 and a 260.

I pointed to the size of the canopy without knowing that you had also jumped a 290 and had slower, softer landings. With that in mind, and your previous 'too fast' jump on a 250/260, I think your answer is right there.

The mistake, it sounds like, was equipment selection. I'm going to gather that you were not selecting your own equipment on jump #5 (or lower), so the mistake was not yours. Provided that you had stand-up landings on the 290 previously, of you had jumped the 290 again and stood up, you would not have broken your hand.

Of course, you stand the chance of not standing up any landing, and a proper PLF is key to minimizing any injuries in that event. If you hit the ground with a full flare and ready to do a (good) PLF, you'll be doing everything you can to minimize the risk of injury on landing. (Of course, you also need to be landing in a clear area and with a level wing, but that's another story).