SFL-2023-039 · Cause: Landing – intentional low turn
Partially verified Facts as reported in the sources below. This is not an official investigation.
Incident
- Date
- 16.10.2023
- Country
- USA
- Drop zone
- Skydive Arizona
- Place
- Eloy, Arizona
- Context
- Sport / fun jump
- Jump type
- Swoop / canopy piloting
- Phase
- Approach & landing
Jumper
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 23
- Total jumps
- 700
- Years in sport
- 3
Equipment
- Main canopy
- 96 sq ft
- Wing loading
- 2.20 lb/sq ft
Cause
- Category
- Landing – intentional low turn
- Contributing factors
- Water landing
What happened
Swoop into a pond, her fourth jump of the day with the same approach. Near the end of the turn she looked towards the entry gates while still in a steep dive, then tried to level out with rear risers and toggles, but hit the water at high speed. She was flying a 96 sq ft cross-braced canopy at a wing loading of 2.2.
Lessons for safety
Eyes on the ground during the last part of the turn. Repetition breeds complacency.
Sources
- www.uspa.org Federation, USPA 2023 fatality summary, case #4 (anonymous)
Is something wrong or missing? Send a correction and mention SFL-2023-039.