SFL-2025-044 · Cause: Entanglement
Partially verified Facts as reported in the sources below. This is not an official investigation.
Incident
- Date
- 04.10.2025
- Country
- USA
- Place
- Tennessee
- Context
- Work (instructor, staff, demo pro)
- Jump type
- Tandem
- Role
- Tandem instructor
Jumper
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 35
- Ratings
- Tandem instructor
- Total jumps
- 5,700
- Years in sport
- 9
Cause
- Category
- Entanglement
What happened
Tandem from a Cessna 182 at 9,500 ft with a first-jump student. Because of a badly fitted harness the pair became hung up on the aircraft, upside down. After several minutes he slipped out of his harness and fell without a parachute; he was not carrying a hook knife. The student fell free from about 3,500 ft, the AAD deployed the reserve and the student was rescued from treetops.
Lessons for safety
Check harness fit carefully before every tandem, and carry a hook knife.
Sources
- www.flyingmag.com Media
- www.uspa.org Federation, USPA 2025 fatality summary, case #16 (anonymous)
Is something wrong or missing? Send a correction and mention SFL-2025-044.