R00tj00se 0 #1 January 16, 2002 Posted this in reply to the low pull thread - as it took me so long to write and it's a pretty good "No shit..." story I thought I'd give it its own post:___________________________________________________Well, for all you guys that like/liked to pull low here is a bit of a 'No shit, there I was...' type story.First I'd like to say I consider myself a very sensible jumper and so do the people I jump with (I hope). I have about 350 jumps, fly an elliptical loaded at 1.1:1 (not much you might think) and before this incident I'd already had one cut away (not packed by me). So, anyway, no shit, there I was...Just finished a 2 way coached sit dive and I gave the wave off at 5,000ft. This was to be my second attempt at back tracking and it didn't go too well. I didn't pick my hips up so although I was moving away from my instructor I was still descending rapidly. So I decided to flip over flat and start to do a flat track. Now here comes mistake number 1. I held my flat track for too long a time - didn't realise how much altitude I had lost in that back track so that by the time I flared out of the track and checked my alti it was at about 2,200ft (I am usually waving off and going for the handle at 3,000ft).No problem I thought - just going to be a bit low on this one. There was no feeling of oh my god, gotta pull now. I just did a normal speed wave off and then reached for the handle.Opening seemed to be going as planned. I was brought into an upright position, all the lines were clear and the canopy was trying to inflate (slider still at the top) through the snivel. Then about a second after being brought upright I stayed on heading and the canopy did a fulll 180 and placed a twist about a foot below the slider. Straight away I knew I was getting off this thing and by the time I'd done the look, reach part of my cutaway procedure (which is 2 handed) I was spinning like a m*therf*cker (to quote my coach who saw it all happen). Ellipticals wind up quick, even lightly loaded ones.I'd already had one cutaway so this was no big deal. It was all done very calmly.After getting rid of the main things took a turn for the worse. Because I'd been spun about I was shot off spinning on my back and I tried to arch to get stable. Er, whats wrong, why am I not getting stable. I know, try rolling, that'll get you over onto your belly - nope, still not happening. At the same time as trying to get stable I've got the thought running through my mind - "Don't forget you were low when you pulled and you can't rely on the Cypres"(Okay, time for a quick interlude. Why couldn't I get stable? I don't know. I mean for God's sake, I was freeflying and back tracking. I can get stable in less than a second from any of those positions. I can only presume that having less airspeed and being dis-oriented after a spinning mal contributed to it. If this had happened to someone else instead of me I probably would have said that they shouldn't be skydiving if they can't get stable but it is different in this kind of situation).So, after a couple of seconds of trying to get stable I pulled the reserve handle thinking:(a) Better to have something rather than nothing(b) I don't want to be a Cypres save.(I really did think both those things)Imagine my surprise when the reserve pilot chute comes between my legs and the free bag (with the reserve still in it) pops up on my right hand side (me still on my back) and the bridle line is under my right leg with parts of it flapping around my right arm. I'll never forget seeing that freebag with the lines still stowed.My eyes popped out of my head, my heart froze and I shouted 'Oh fuck' inside my full face.I'm not looking for sympathy or trying to play this thing up but I honestly thought I was dead.I remeber a post on one of these forums which asked what you would think about if you were going in and people said they would look at the sky, think of songs etc. What a load of shit. The only thing going through my mind was 'Fuck, I've got to get this thing off my leg'.So while pulling my right arm in to stop the bridle line from wrapping around it I reached for the pilot chute which was now tapping against my left leg. As I did this my body position changed and I went head down and feet up slightly and the pilot chute was able to find a free channel of air. I estimate that the pilot chute was stuck for about 2 secs.The reserve (techno 128) opened with no problems and I landed about half a mile away from the main landing area near my pilot chute. Sorry, don't know what height my reserve was open at as I was busy taking deep breaths and swearing I was never going to jump again.I jumped again the same day and am still jumping however with a lot less confidence than I used to have. What did I do wrong:(i) went lowThat is the only thing I consider I did wrong on this jump. You may consider that pulling my reserve on my back was wrong but ask yourself this question - How long do you spend recovering stability when you know you have pulled low? I think I spent the right amount of time.So, if you think going low is fun and looks cool, just remember it could be the first link in that chain of events...Also, if you check the statistics web site you'll see a UK jumper died under similair circumstances a few years ago. Did a low jump, Stiletto spun and he got entangled in the reserve. One more thing to think about before hopping on that elliptical. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Geoff 0 #2 January 16, 2002 Whew! Glad you're still with us!Just a small question for interest:Did your Cypres fire at all? (even after the start of reserve deployment)Geoff Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R00tj00se 0 #3 January 16, 2002 No, didn't fire. I really wish I'd looked at my alti after reserve deployment though - would be nice to know when I was open. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flow 1 #4 January 16, 2002 Congrats you're still here.It may sound easy to chop the main and pop the reserve, but I have always been thinking what if the canopy spins like mad, it isn't easy stabilize after that.j. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #5 January 16, 2002 "would be nice to know when I was open."Above the ground is good enough for me......"I got some beers....Let's Drink em!!!"Clay Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,070 #6 January 16, 2002 >It may sound easy to chop the main and pop the reserve, but I have always been thinking what if the canopy spins like mad, it isn't> easy stabilize after that.Yep. That's the main reason I cringe whenever anyone says "I want to cut away and get stable before opening my reserve." We do what we train to do, and if you train yourself to do that, you may just chop at 1600 feet from a spinning mal and find yourself opening your reserve at 300 (or later.) A higher reserve opening is preferable, even if you're not stable.-bill von Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #7 January 16, 2002 "even if you're not stable."Wasn't someone making the comment recently that as long as it doesn't cuase an entanglment an unstable (or at least not belly to earth) deployment is preferable on a reserve. I'm going to say, for those of you who have never jumped a spring loaded PC, that P/C may never catch air if you are belly to earth and don't think to check over your shoulder to break the burbble. I forgot to check shortly..(About 2 sec instead of one like I was trained) and the JM said my P/C bounced off my back 5 times in that 2 seconds. Could be a factor with an AFF student that has never deployed anything but a Throw out."I got some beers....Let's Drink em!!!"Clay Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarkM 0 #8 January 16, 2002 "and the JM said my P/C bounced off my back 5 times in that 2 seconds"That's kind of funny. My first freefall ever was a clear and pull with a chest mounted ripcord. Left the plane... pulled... waited... waited... said "WTF?" and then it deployed.The JM said the PC bounced around on my back a few times before catching air and deploying.Went to BOC toss out right after and friggen loved it. Instant feedback when you tossed the PC out.Think I'd still rather be stable when the PC launches on a ripcord setup though. Not that I'd try to get stable on a reserve pull or anything(I just want it out), but the chance of the PC sitting in your burble forever is probably lower than a mal caused from being unstable on deployment. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
prost 0 #9 January 17, 2002 Reserve spring loaded pilot chutes are normally much stronger than student main pilot chutes. I have seen a lot of students pilot chutes come back down and bounce off them. I have to say that I have not seem many reserve deployments, but the ones I have seen were not even close to stalling.William Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,070 #10 January 17, 2002 >Wasn't someone making the comment recently that as long as it doesn't cuase an entanglment an unstable (or at least not belly to earth)> deployment is preferable on a reserve.The Racer manual recommends that you not be belly to earth during a reserve opening, that a head-high position is preferable. (Of course, not always possible.)>and the JM said my P/C bounced off my back 5 times in that 2 seconds.I have a video of an AFF in which I pull for the student, turn to track away . . . and his PC launches, arches over, lands on _my_ back, and then finally inflates. Spring loaded PC's do some funny things.-bill von Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E150 0 #11 January 18, 2002 Glad your still with us Adam. What a feekin nasty experiance.What would we do without the 'Master of drinking games'!?? "I pass these items to you . . . . uncrossed"!:) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R00tj00se 0 #12 January 18, 2002 F*ckin' stoopid game!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3fLiEr 0 #13 January 18, 2002 Nice work soldier................. lucky bastard you!!That sounds horrific........... another dead man walking for the DZ ............. its getting far to common and after wednesday (funeral) with everyone in black at the DZ ............ I really dont ever want to go to a DZ funeral again........... its not a nice affair.................... lets all be safer than we have............ if not for our own sakes than for the rest left behind........ but tell me afterwards did you not get an amazing sense of calm and a heightened sense of perception............ a real sense of being alive.................... ? or did you just look back and shit yourself................... you up at the weekend?"In a world where we are slaves to gravity I am pleased to be a freedom fighter" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R00tj00se 0 #14 January 18, 2002 Hey Mr. 3DZ funeral must have been tough. Will speak to you about it next time I see you - don't like posting about things like that on the net.As for did I have a feeling of calm. Nope! After my first cut-away last year I did - felt as though I could survive anything after that.But after this one I was one quiet little bunny for a couple of days. But as the saying goes:'You can do everything right in skydiving, and still die'Anyway, enough morbid thoughts - I won't be up this weekend but will be the weekend after. I need to borrow a FF suit until I get mine sorted so if you know of anyone? Or is that jumpbubble suit still available at the DZ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3fLiEr 0 #15 January 18, 2002 Borrow mine mate...i dont know if you want something that baggy though........its very baggy and quite hard to fly when first learning ......but its up to you.......... i dont need it !!............... but only for the weekend coz i am going to spain the following week................. coz I need to jump!!!!bsbd"In a world where we are slaves to gravity I am pleased to be a freedom fighter" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R00tj00se 0 #16 January 18, 2002 Off to Spain eh? Is it Empuria. Very nice DZ - just remember to check the spot before you get out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3fLiEr 0 #17 January 18, 2002 Jumpin with BaByLoN.............. so should be very cool!"In a world where we are slaves to gravity I am pleased to be a freedom fighter" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E150 0 #18 January 18, 2002 Nice one Mike. Have fun. Talking of Babylon. I have now got my Babylon look alike Atom Legend! Nice. Just need some freefly pants. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
