Narrative:

I was contracted to fly skydivers in my company king air B90 which is specially equipped for this task and flies skydivers every wkend at different locations throughout the united states. A very experienced skydiver left the aircraft, activated his main parachute at a very low altitude (estimated to be below 1000 ft AGL), experienced a partial malfunction of his main parachute, activated his reserve parachute without releasing the malfunctioned main parachute and his reserve entangled with the main parachute. He sustained severe injuries although remaining conscious all the way to the hospital. I learned later he subsequently died of the injuries he sustained. I subsequently also learned that there may be some doubt if his reserve parachute was 'in date,' that is, had been packed within the preceding 120 days by an FAA rigger. Far 105.43 requires the PIC to not allow any jump to be made from that aircraft unless the jumper has an 'in date' reserve. Jump pilots depend on the drop zone operator to ensure that all equipment is checked. This drop zone does a good job of that. Each jumper is required to register, his credentials are checked, his gear is checked and tagged. Prior to boarding the aircraft, the gear tag is again checked. It is speculated that this jumper registered with someone else's gear, obtained a gear tag illegally, and boarded the aircraft with his own gear. It is virtually impossible for the pilot to check each reserve packing card on each load for each jumper. It would be akin to the captain of an airliner checking each seat belt fastened before each takeoff. There should be some provision in the far for the jump pilot to designate some person to be responsible for this gear check, just as airline crews share responsibilities for preflight actions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SKYDIVE PLT RPT OF JUMPER WHO MAY HAVE FALSIFIED DATES ON HIS RESERVE CHUTE. HE DIED OF INJURIES INCURRED FROM MAIN CHUTE NOT OPENING PROPERLY AND RESERVE CHUTE TANGLING IN MAIN CHUTE WHICH WAS NOT RELEASED. PARACHUTE JUMPING ACTIVITY PROCS.

Narrative: I WAS CONTRACTED TO FLY SKYDIVERS IN MY COMPANY KING AIR B90 WHICH IS SPECIALLY EQUIPPED FOR THIS TASK AND FLIES SKYDIVERS EVERY WKEND AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. A VERY EXPERIENCED SKYDIVER LEFT THE ACFT, ACTIVATED HIS MAIN PARACHUTE AT A VERY LOW ALT (ESTIMATED TO BE BELOW 1000 FT AGL), EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL MALFUNCTION OF HIS MAIN PARACHUTE, ACTIVATED HIS RESERVE PARACHUTE WITHOUT RELEASING THE MALFUNCTIONED MAIN PARACHUTE AND HIS RESERVE ENTANGLED WITH THE MAIN PARACHUTE. HE SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES ALTHOUGH REMAINING CONSCIOUS ALL THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL. I LEARNED LATER HE SUBSEQUENTLY DIED OF THE INJURIES HE SUSTAINED. I SUBSEQUENTLY ALSO LEARNED THAT THERE MAY BE SOME DOUBT IF HIS RESERVE PARACHUTE WAS 'IN DATE,' THAT IS, HAD BEEN PACKED WITHIN THE PRECEDING 120 DAYS BY AN FAA RIGGER. FAR 105.43 REQUIRES THE PIC TO NOT ALLOW ANY JUMP TO BE MADE FROM THAT ACFT UNLESS THE JUMPER HAS AN 'IN DATE' RESERVE. JUMP PLTS DEPEND ON THE DROP ZONE OPERATOR TO ENSURE THAT ALL EQUIP IS CHKED. THIS DROP ZONE DOES A GOOD JOB OF THAT. EACH JUMPER IS REQUIRED TO REGISTER, HIS CREDENTIALS ARE CHKED, HIS GEAR IS CHKED AND TAGGED. PRIOR TO BOARDING THE ACFT, THE GEAR TAG IS AGAIN CHKED. IT IS SPECULATED THAT THIS JUMPER REGISTERED WITH SOMEONE ELSE'S GEAR, OBTAINED A GEAR TAG ILLEGALLY, AND BOARDED THE ACFT WITH HIS OWN GEAR. IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE PLT TO CHK EACH RESERVE PACKING CARD ON EACH LOAD FOR EACH JUMPER. IT WOULD BE AKIN TO THE CAPT OF AN AIRLINER CHKING EACH SEAT BELT FASTENED BEFORE EACH TKOF. THERE SHOULD BE SOME PROVISION IN THE FAR FOR THE JUMP PLT TO DESIGNATE SOME PERSON TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS GEAR CHK, JUST AS AIRLINE CREWS SHARE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PREFLT ACTIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.