Anyone hear about the camera-man who jumps without gear?

[chuteless 1]

Over the years, I had occassion to photograph or film jumopers as they left the aircraft, and I was shooting the film from the open door of the plane.

I always had to belt myself in across the legs, because I knew from the habit of going after someone would instinctively take over, and I would have followed the jumper.

The urge was very strong, and I knew if I didnt do the belt up tightly over my legs....I would most likely have chased the guy out....without a chute on.

Bill Cole D-41

[dragon2 2]

Which is why when I make exit shots and don't plan on jumping, I put on a rig anyway! Wouldn't be allowed to go up without I suppose, but wouldn't want to either...

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[valcore 0]

Ok just to put this thread to rest even more. This incident did happen at a DZ in North Carolina, infact I was told by one of the long time jumpers at my DZ that it happened there. And as someone mentioned it was because he was wearing the old camera equipment and though he had a rig on. A very sad day when someone dies, so as far as the video goes I don't think I would want to see it, just learn from his mistake and remember to check your gear and keep and eye out for others.

The most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I'm from the government and I'm here to help’. ~Ronald Reagan

30,000,000 legal firearm owners killed no one yesterday.

[Trae 1]

Sleepy old thread but someone's perhaps forgotton death still for us to learn from.

This happened in France in the 80's to a static-line instructor . This high jump number instructor was used to sometimes not jumping out after putting out a load of static -liners.

Sometimes he did jump out ..sometimes he didn't .

When he wasn't going to jump out sometimes he didn't wear a rig. When he wasn't going to jump out sometimes he did wera a rig.

Apparently this highly experienced gentleman got confused one day and jumped out after a load of static-liners without realising that he didn't have his rig on.

Too late once he was out . Inconsistent behaviour got him in the end.

Lesson ...we've learnt from this is ALWAYS WEAR YOUR RIG WHEN SKYDIVING AND PARACHUTING FROM AIRCRAFT.

This is obvious you'd think but I still see "skydivers " sometimes go as observers and not wear a rig.

[RogerRamjet 0]

Quote

Sleepy old thread but someone's perhaps forgotton death still for us to learn from.

This happened in France in the 80's to a static-line instructor . This high jump number instructor was used to sometimes not jumping out after putting out a load of static -liners.

Sometimes he did jump out ..sometimes he didn't .

When he wasn't going to jump out sometimes he didn't wear a rig. When he wasn't going to jump out sometimes he did wera a rig.

Apparently this highly experienced gentleman got confused one day and jumped out after a load of static-liners without realising that he didn't have his rig on.

Too late once he was out . Inconsistent behaviour got him in the end.

Lesson ...we've learnt from this is ALWAYS WEAR YOUR RIG WHEN SKYDIVING AND PARACHUTING FROM AIRCRAFT.

This is obvious you'd think but I still see "skydivers " sometimes go as observers and not wear a rig.

Unless it happened more than once in France, that incident happened well before the 80s. I heard that story the year I started jumping... 1973. The story (as told by Jim Hooper) was that he followed the last static liner out, realized what he did, shrugged his shoulders at the aghast pilot, and turned a series on the way in. Hard to say how much might have been true.

I NEVER went up in a skydiving plane without a rig on and still wouldn't.

-----------------------
Roger "Ramjet" Clark
FB# 271, SCR 3245, SCS 1519

[mdrejhon 8]

I heard that back then in 1987 (1988?) that some cameramen were still using VHS tape decks, strapped to their belly inside a protective cloth cover.

A 1970/1980's style VHS tape deck, from the days when the video camera and the tape recorder was separate units.

This may have been a factor - that the cameraman was bulky looking that he looked like he was wearing gear.

[mdrejhon 8]

Quote

meaning the video equipment impacted with him - and survived the extreme deceleration at some 120 miles an hour?

It's pretty routine. I know data-recovery centers have resurrected data from laptop hard disks, VHS tapes, diskettes, BetaMax tapes from airplane crashes crashing at mugh higher speed.

The tape is usually crumbled and shredded, but as long as there's still silvery slivers, you can piece them back together with splicing tape, insert in an empty plastic casing, and copy the video to another blank tape. Also, sometimes special ironing procedures were used to flatten the wrinkled tape. That's how it was done in those days.

According to the other dropzone.com thread, the 1988 (1987?) videotape had moments of static, because of limitations of data recovery.

[Ariosdagger 0]

In Italy the video was announced at the evening news and showed in the last edition at night (for obvious reasons).
For a couple of month I had recurrent nightmare for the unfortunate guy.
RIP

Quote

ok all you geezers out there... this is a very heart warming thread of group therapy comfort. ughhhhhhhhh Forget that; show me the video!!! I won't believe a thing until I see it.. i don't care, I'm a voyeuristic pig. Show me!!

[docjohn 0]

Quote

Over the years, I had occassion to photograph or film jumopers as they left the aircraft, and I was shooting the film from the open door of the plane.

I always had to belt myself in across the legs, because I knew from the habit of going after someone would instinctively take over, and I would have followed the jumper.

The urge was very strong, and I knew if I didnt do the belt up tightly over my legs....I would most likely have chased the guy out....without a chute on.

Bill Cole D-41

Bill, its ironic to hear from you in this thread since you're one of the few (2 I think) who have INTENTIONALLY jumped without a parachute. Yeah, I still have a 16mm copy of that chuteless dive.

Just had to point that out as I think the other posters missed that fact.

Doc
http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

[Squeak 17]

Quote

Over the years, I had occassion to photograph or film jumopers as they left the aircraft, and I was shooting the film from the open door of the plane.

I always had to belt myself in across the legs, because I knew from the habit of going after someone would instinctively take over, and I would have followed the jumper.

The urge was very strong, and I knew if I didnt do the belt up tightly over my legs....I would most likely have chased the guy out....without a chute on.

Bill Cole D-41

You are not allowed to board a jump plane in Oz without a rig. Unless you are an obverver in a seat next to the pilot. If there is no seat you have to wear a rig.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[chuteless 1]

There was a total of 4 that I know of

Rod Pack...Jan 1st 1965......1 jump...now deceased

Myself, Aug 20th 1969, July 20 1972 .. 2 jumps

Jim Taylor 1983 and 1984...2 jumps , now deceased

Can't recall the name, a Frenchman...several jumps....... now deceased


Bill Cole D-41

[bob.dino 1]

Quote

You are not allowed to board a jump plane in Oz without a rig. Unless you are an obverver in a seat next to the pilot. If there is no seat you have to wear a rig.

I know a cameraman that did... accidentally. The 4-way team he was filming waiting 'til he sat down then told him his chest strap wasn't done up . The way he tells it, he turned white as a sheet .

[jpcbird 0]

Sorry...Not a myth. This actually happened. Offhand I dont recall too many details other than he had worked the night before ...sleep deprivation..and getting in the jump plane - might of been a twin beech, not sure - he sat with his back to the bulkhead, obviously secured his camera helmut, but not his rig. He was last out of the plane, so no one noticed he had no rig on. Scary..but true.

[tempretired 0]

Can you give us the details of your Chuteless Skydive? One thread indicated that it/they were intentional.

[Airman1270 0]

Ivan's jump occurred on April 3, 1988 at Raeford, NC. I believe that was Easter that year. I saw the video on the evening news a few days later. He was filming an AFF jump. The news anchorman said something about a fatal accident; I watched the student deploy and the instructors track away, wondering what the problem was. Moments later the camera jerked back & forth a bit, obviously as he was reaching for a pilot chute and having trouble finding it. Then the left hand came in, then stopped as he realized there was no ripcord. The ground continued to get big, then the last few moments of film broke up due to damage incurred during impact.

If he was filming AFF he had probably climbed out and was floating as the student got into position. The instructors were focused on the student. I never did buy the suicide theory, as nobody would expect to board the plane without a rig, ride to altitude, and jump without somebody noticing. If he had been suicidal, he'd probably wear the rig and not pull.

Cheers,
Jon S.

[skydiverek 63]

http://www.aarrgghh.com/no_way/noChute.htm

[chuteless 1]

PM sent


Bill Cole D-41

[Elisha 1]

Why does it have to be a PM? I wanna here about it too! (is this whining good enough?)

[masterrig 1]

Quote

They showed the video on tv years ago. In the end all you see is the camera tumbling. sad day

blues

jerry

_______________________________________

The day I went for my first jump, in 1988. One of the folks at the DZ that morning was watching that video. I completed the static-line course and made the jump. That video, got to me, though.


Chuck

[chuteless 1]

PM sent Elisha.....


Bill Cole D-41

[peregrinerose 0]

I second that.

Looks like there will be a lot of PMs sent out

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[GordonH 0]

I witnessed a camerman forgetting his rig once...he had walked the 300yards or so to the aircraft, boarded, and the aircraft had taxied to the end of the runway before he noticed. We were in the hangar and could hear the radio transmissions when the pilot said "we're taxiing back because [jumpers name] has forgotten his rig".

Until I saw that I thought it would just not be possible to forget it, but he did, and without a consistent system for doing checks others could do so whenever some unusual circumstances distract them.

Whatever policy your governing body or dropzone has, have your OWN system and follow it EVERY time.

Blue skies!
Gordon
Beware of advice from those with more posts than jumps ;-)

[wartload 0]

Ivan was well-liked and well-respected. As has been stated here...a few times, he was was apparently pretty fatigued that day, forgot to put on his rig, and a series of unfortunate circumstances led to him going out of the plane without it.

The lessons are:

-- Not go to the DZ and jump if you are impaired in any way, including fatigue and otherwise not feeling well.

-- Check your gear before you get onto the plane, ask others if they'd like you to look over theirs (ask someone competent to look over yours), and be aware of potential dangers for anyone on a load with you.

-- If you are a jump pilot (arguably responsible, according to FAA regs, for allowing someone intending to make a jump to get on board without a parachute), and you are acting as PIC, keep an eye on who's getting into your plane.

Ok. That's simple enough, isn't it? Watching the film of Ivan's last moments of life might serve to stimulate some desires that you may have, but it's not going to make the sport any safer or improve mankind.

[valcore 0]

Yea would you PM me this too, it happened at my Home DZ and I wanna know if what they told me is what you know.

The most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I'm from the government and I'm here to help’. ~Ronald Reagan

30,000,000 legal firearm owners killed no one yesterday.

[wartload 0]

Quote

Yea would you PM me this too, it happened at my Home DZ and I wanna know if what they told me is what you know.

Why would they tell you anything different?