Question on horseshoe mal

[Orange1 0]

What is the most common cause of this - bad body position?
Spent a lot of time going over the mal (what to do when it happens) with an instructor on the weekend but somehow forgot to ask that question! It really does seem more than any other mal the one you least want to happen.

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[AggieDave 6]

A couple of more common causes.

On the main, having a closing loop break and the PC not extracting.

Deploying unstable and having the bridle/PC wrap around an arm, leg, neck, etc but having been pulled far enough to dislodge the closing pin.

Having a hard collision in freefall where your pin gets dislodged and your PC doesn't extract.

Honestly, I'd put money on bad throw and/or bad body position and getting the PC/bridle wrapped up on some part of your body; however, please do ask your instructor about this before you believe anything you read on the internet.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Superman32 0]

Bad body position?
What bad body position would cause a horseshoe, other than one that gets the bridle wrapped up on your body

Inveniam Viam aut Faciam
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[AggieDave 6]

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other than one that gets the bridle wrapped up on your body

That's what I'm talking about. Dumping in a head down or on your back head low or having a weak throw or throwing with your hand facing down instead of up, etc.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[kelpdiver 2]

my third hop n pop (first after the A requirements) I hurled myself out the back of a C206 door, did a forward flip, but didn't wait till I was recovered before I tossed the PC. (Now I know why they stressed so much not to rush when doing the 3500 HnP.) It caught on my foot and I could feel it. So I pointed the toes, it freed up, and deployed somewhat roughly with the body position.

Obvious lesson - silly to rush the throw on a 7000' HnP. Even on the lower one you can wait another second or two.

[Orange1 0]

So I follow the advice of my one JM who says "just ARCH!!!!"

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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So I follow the advice of my one JM who says "just ARCH!!!!"

Do whatever you need to do to save your own life and try to do it with a calm mind. But do it. Time is not on your side in a high speed mal.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[Orange1 0]

sorry shoulda been more specific - the "just ARCH" is meant to be before you pull!! (i.e. prevention better than cure, and all that)

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[AFFI 0]

This is how we teach it at my DZ, straight out of our book - Of course the best method is avioding the situation all together...

2) Horseshoe Malfunction High speed partial malfunction.
The definition of a Horseshoe malfunction is that your container is open and the parachute is connected to your body somewhere other than the risers.

2a) Out of Sequence Deployment: (Throw Hackey, if necessary-cut away, deploy reserve)
A Normal Deployment sequence is:
Step 1) Throw your pilot chute.
Step 2) Container opens and parachute comes out.
Step 3) Parachute opens and inflates.
In an Out of Sequence situation the container has opened but pilot chute is still in the pouch – essentially, Step 2 has happened (container is open) but Step 1 has not.
• Attempt to locate and deploy your pilot chute. The main container tray is opened and the parachute is potentially out so the bottom flap (where the BOC hackey handle is located) may not be where it normally is. Place your right palm on the back of your thigh and feel your way up your leg to the bottom of the container in an attempt to locate the hackey handle.
• Keep in mind to maintain an arched body position and your hand kept facing palm skyward to prevent a potential entanglement with the pilot chute bridal.
• Remember, this is a high speed situation, you are loosing altitude fast.

The USPA SIM 2005 states: Premature container opening in freefall (hand deployment only):
• Attempt to locate and deploy the pilot chute first (no more than two attempts or two seconds, whichever comes first).
• If the pilot chute can’t be located after two tries or if deploying the pilot chute results in a partial malfunction, cut away and deploy the reserve.

2b) Pilot chute bridle wrapped around arm/leg, the parachute is out:
This is a preventable situation by maintaining good body position and keeping your palm skyward during the deployment of a throw-out pilot chute BOC system.
• Two attempts to clear the entanglement by presenting the extremity with the bridle caught on it skyward, away from your body and into the wind.
• If you cannot clear the pilot chute, now you have to find out if the pin has been pulled or not to determine the type of malfunction you have. Total or Horseshoe (partial)? MAke a visual assessment by looking over your left shoulder.
• Remember, you are loosing altitude fast.
• If your pin has been extracted and the container is open you have a partial (Horseshoe) malfunction, Initiate emergency procedures for a partial malfunction, cutaway (making sure the 3 rings have released thus clearing a path for reserve deployment) and deploy your reserve.

Mykel AFF-I10
Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

[thegman 0]

Yeah a horseshoe can really screw up you day. Ths malfunction can be caused be either the main bad opening prematurely wich would usually indicate a closing loop that was not tight enough. This can be prevented by properly maintaining your gear. Make sure your closing loop isn't loose when you are doing your gear check.A Horseshoe can also be cause be say a pilot chute or any part of the parachute snagging and being attached to you somewhere on your body. A few other things to watch for. Make sure that when you throw you pilot chute into the relative wind you throw the pilot chute away from your body and palm facing the sky. Don't hesitate just throw it. This will reduce the likelyhood of you pilot chute snagging on your body somewhere,..

http://www.freefallmaniacs.net