New footage released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) shows the terrifying moment a parachuter’s reserve parachute opened prematurely. The premature opening sent the parachuter into a harrowing situation in which his chute became stuck on the wing of the airplane. When the chute opened, it also knocked a camera operator off the plane, sending him into freefall. Thankfully, everyone survived.
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“After the aircraft climbed to about 15,000 ft, the pilot signalled to the parachutists to exit,” ATSB says. “As the first parachutist (P1) stepped out the door [his] reserve parachute inadvertently deployed, dragging P1 backwards and dislodging the camera operator into freefall, causing them a minor injury. P1’s legs [. . .] struck and damaged the aircraft’s horizontal stabiliser. The parachute wrapped around the horizontal stabiliser and the elevator, suspending P1 beneath it.”
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The parachutist then used a knife to cut the reserve parachute’s lines and become free of the plane wing. To land safely, the man had to untangle the lines of the main chute and the backup chute as he fell through the sky. He managed to do this and land safely. The airplane pilot also managed to land safely.
The ATSB’s report discovered that as the first parachuter climbed out of the aircraft, his reserve handle snagged on the aircraft’s flap. As a result of this minor error, the chute opened and caused the mayhem.
See footage of a parachuter getting stuck on an airplane wing.
Header stock image by Mauricio Graiki/Getty Images
