1st Tandem reserve ride (NOT NORMAL SH#T) Could have been really bad

[skydivingchad 0]

This is my recount of my first tandem reserve ride. Plane is a 182. It was my 5th tandem of the day, student was 220 lbs, 5'8" or so, and a big guy. Not fat just big. I have about 250- 300 tandems. Strong DHT.
There was only 3 onboard the plane me, passenger and our video guy. In other words there was plenty of room in the plane. Hook up was fine, I never felt myself snag anything in the plane.
The exit wasn't perfect because I couldn't get the passenger far enough forward in the plane as I would have liked, and him being bulky, he didn't stay as low in the door as I would have liked. All in all the exit came off the plane pretty well.
I threw the drogue and felt it set. Next thing I know we are being stood up under a canopy.
First thing I thought was "oh shit not again". Last year I had the drogue release handle get pulled and had an instant canopy when I threw the drogue, so I thought it happened again.
This time something was different. We were in a slow right hand turn. I also couldn't look up or behind me, my head was pinned forward by the container. I took off my helmet and gave it to the passenger, who was remaining quite calm. Once it was off I could look up and to the left somewhat. That's when I saw the reserve over my head.
I started checking all the gear and handles and everything was still in place. I felt behind me and could tell the main was still in the container. I managed to see that the drogue was inflated behind me so I reeled it in and had the passenger shove it in his jumpsuit.
I reached up for the toggles, but I could only find the left one. I couldn't see or feel the right side risers. After I felt down the right side lines I found the right toggle, it was almost behind my head, but not tangled with anything. I released both toggles and started to try and get down a little faster.
We were sitting under the canopy at a strange angle. It was flying straight, but I had to really fight to get it to turn. I decided that I could land it the way it was so didn't try to fix any of the issues I was having since I had very limited motion with my head and the right toggle. I did only small right turns having to use both hands on the toggle because of the pressure.
The landing wasn't as bad as what I thought it was going to be. We landed about 100 feet past the peas.

After watching the video many times we figured out what happened. Apparently I dislodged the left side reserve pin in the plane. As soon as I was leaving the plane the wind caught the left side of the container and the pilot chute got out. You can see on the video my foot is still on the step when the pilot chute goes through the top left corner of the video. Since only 1 pin was popped the freebag stayed in the container until I threw the drogue. The drogue was around the front of the reserve lines and managed to clear itself during the 1 or 2 line twists I had.
The right hand risers were under the top reserve flap. That is why the container had my head pinned down and I couldn't feel the risers very well.
The container is an older DHT that only has the bottom tuck tab on the reserve container instead of the the bottom plus the 2 on the sides.

Lesson: PROTECT YOUR GEAR IN THE PLANE!!!!
Thank you Marc for packing such a beautiful reserve.


I will post the video as soon as I figure out how get it off the dvd

Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug.
Pelt Head #3

[pchapman 279]

Nice job dealing with what you had.

The title could have been a bit different -- it didn't give away that this wasn't just your usual "Hey guys, had my first reserve ride!" story. This was a real incident with weird and dangerous stuff happening...

[peregrinerose 0]

Chad, glad you lived, pissed it happened to begin with, and you really need to change the thread title. This could very easily have been an ugly ending for multiple reasons, especially after having watched the video with you so many times.

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[kevino 0]

Well done Chad! I now have 500 tandems and in my experience the 2 most important things are:

Check your gear
Have a stable exit

Things could hve gone horribly wrong with an unstable exit.

[timber 4]

The same thing almost happened today with my friend Rick Payne in Slidell today! He was jumping a Strong rig and the right side pin was out. The reserve pilot chute was hanging out slightly. I agree watch you handles!! Especially jumping from a smaller aircraft! The reserve pins can get pushed out by leaning on a seat or bulkhead. Glad to hear it all worked out for you!

[koppel 4]

Quote

The reserve pins can get pushed out by leaning on a seat or bulkhead

Its crazy that it is common knowledge that the reserve system is prone to loose pins.

I have packed only a couple of DHT's and disliked that it was difficult to get good tension on the pins. Possibly I don't have the experience with them and people know an easy trick to improve this but I didn't find anything online when I looked. Anyone got any good links or is it just a simple fact that that is the way the rigs are?


Glad it worked out for you.

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[davelepka 4]

Anyone remotely close to "big', 'stocky', 'old' or 'not very flexible' should be put through a full hook up climbout on the ground when jumping a 182. No exceptions.

[riggerrob 643]

That reminds me of the last time (19 years ago) I did a posed exit from a Cessna 182.
The big student was uncomfortable and tried to stand up on the step. He jammed the reserve container into the underside of the wing and bent a reserve ripcord pin.

[2shay 0]

sounds like you did everything right. good job! Just another reason I do not like to jump small aircraft.

don't try your bullshit with me!!!

[peek 21]

Quote

I have packed only a couple of DHT's and disliked that it was difficult to get good tension on the pins. Possibly I don't have the experience with them and people know an easy trick to improve this but I didn't find anything online when I looked. Anyone got any good links or is it just a simple fact that that is the way the rigs are?

I was packing them way back before AAD's were required on tandem rigs, so I experienced the transition to the slippery AAD style loops. I too was not happy with the lack of tension.

The AAD type loop material may not stretch, but the knots move a very small amount, so you need to start very short, expecting it to move.

Make them so short that you don't think they will work. Using the "hollow end temporary pin" will allow it to work if it is really short. For example, Para Gear number S7935.

It is difficult work but worth it to get the pin tight.

[feuergnom 28]

Quote

I do not like to jump small aircraft

turbine-brat!

The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666

[riggerrob 643]

I usually tie Cypres closing loops (for Strong Dual Hawk Tandem reserve) to one inch long, expecting them to stretch to 1 3/4 inch long by the time the reserve is closed.
When closing loops get longer than 2 inches, they are "sloppy!"

[2shay 0]

I definitely did my time at 182 dz's. Yes the otters are very very nice

don't try your bullshit with me!!!

[koppel 4]

do you pack with or without the use of a PLD?



@ peek - cheers for the tip. Already use those. One of my favourite tools :)

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[riggerrob 643]

"

Quote

do you pack with or without the use of a PLD?"

........................................................................

I pack without a positive leverage device. I never learned how to use PLD because CSPA frowned upon them long before I began rigging.

However, I did develop a "shoulder strap hook" (see page 6-9 in Reid's manual) to free up both hands while pinning Security PEPs. The shoulder strap hook also allowed me to continue packing reserves after I developed "tennis elbow."

And yes, I also use a hollow-ended temporary pin because it reduces wear and tear on delicate Cypres loops.

• Quote

[deadwood 0]

IIRC, arn't the loops supposed to be 1 1/4"?

He who hesitates shall inherit the earth.

Deadwood
Skydive New Mexico Motorcycle Club, Touring Division

[deadwood 0]

Does the rig have the little ripcord pin protector pockets that the ends of the pins slide into?


[The container is an older DHT that only has the bottom tuck tab on the reserve container instead of the the bottom plus the 2 on the sides.

Lesson: PROTECT YOUR GEAR IN THE PLANE!!!!
Thank you Marc for packing such a beautiful reserve.


I will post the video as soon as I figure out how get it off the dvd

[dragon2 2]

Quote

I will post the video as soon as I figure out how get it off the dvd

Copy the biggest .vob file you can find on that DVD to your harddrive. Rename .vob to .mpg now you can drop the mpg into most editing programs.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[skydivingchad 0]

Thanks for the tip!

Here's the video. At 0:04 you can see the reserve pilot chute in the upper left corner of the screen very fortunately launching away from the aircraft. Jumpers are still on the step at this point, but in the process of leaving. You can also see the drogue wrapped 180 around the deploying reserve lines.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vym-gleozlw

Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug.
Pelt Head #3

[peregrinerose 0]

I'm pretty sure that that rig does not have the protector ribbon on it.

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[DBCOOPER 5]

He almost became a dangling chad....

Replying to: Re: Stall On Jump Run Emergency Procedure? by billvon

If the plane is unrecoverable then exiting is a very very good idea.

[JohnMitchell 16]

Quote

That reminds me of the last time (19 years ago) I did a posed exit from a Cessna 182.
The big student was uncomfortable and tried to stand up on the step. He jammed the reserve container into the underside of the wing and bent a reserve ripcord pin.

My last poised tandem exit from a C-182 snagged the reserve for a premature deployment. I'll never forget throwing the drogue, feeling opening shock, and then pulling my drogue down out of my reserve. Since then, our DZ does only diving exits from the C-182 ( and I avoid C-182 tandems as much as practical.)

[chopperboy 0]

Lucky He didn't pack a glove in your reserve...good job chad glad your safe

[liftedtitan 0]

thank god the drouge didnt entangle with the reserve!! nice relaxed thinking, glad everything was OK.

Moriuntur omnes, sed non omnes vixerunt.