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New Delhi: Australian authorities on Thursday released dramatic footage of a September skydiving accident in which a jumper was left suspended thousands of metres above the ground after their reserve parachute became entangled with the aircraft’s tail. The team had planned a 16-way formation jump from roughly 15,000 feet south of Cairns. But moments after the first participant approached the door, the situation spiralled out of control.
In the video, the jumper’s reserve parachute is seen deploying unexpectedly when its handle catches on the wing flap. The abrupt jolt pulls the skydiver backwards, slamming their legs into the aircraft before the bright orange canopy coils around the tail, leaving them dangling precariously over open sky.
The force of the mishap also sent the accompanying camera flyer, positioned beside the door, tumbling into an unplanned freefall.
For a brief moment, the trapped skydiver appears motionless with both hands on their helmet, seemingly absorbing the shock of the incident. They then use a hook knife to cut away the reserve’s tangled lines, break free from the aircraft, and deploy their main parachute, ultimately landing without injury.
According to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, skydivers are not required to carry a hook knife, but the tool can prove critical during emergencies such as premature parachute deployments. "Carrying a hook knife, although it is not a regulatory requirement, could be lifesaving in the event of a premature reserve parachute deployment," said the bureau's chief commissioner Angus Mitchell, as quoted by AFP.
The aircraft was left with significant tail damage from the impact. The pilot briefly struggled to maintain control and issued a mayday call but still succeeded in landing the plane safely.
