Basejumper.com - archive

The video review has taken place and the findings are posted in the incidents forum.

Fatality - Perrine Bridge May 29, 2006

Thanks Tim.

Hey Tim, good job on identifying the cause of this accident. Also the main details why the PC was not placed into the clean airstream after the Pitch.
I know this could not have been easy. You put a lot of time into this video review and the constant watching & rerunning of this Vid. Never the less it was a Job that needed top be done. So thanks for clearing this up.
I think that it will never be known (Why ?) the PC was not cleanly Thrown-Out but again Pilot-Error always seems to be the main culprit of our own demise rather than Total Mechanical Malfunction of equipment.
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Thank You For the time, effort, analysis, and publishing of the results.

I would just like to add that this CAN happen to any one of us. An example which led to a different outcome was a staggered deployment 2 way where the first guy dropped the p/c as you described in your report. This led to a delayed opening immediately next to the second guy (hence no staggered opening as planned). A wrap resulted. The main saviour in this example was the fact that both persons knew what was happening and were prepared to deal with the results. These were two experienced jumpers.

We must maintain as much diligence, vigilence, and focus as possible on EVERY jump.

The rest of the time we can be mortal human beings. To err is to be human. Our job is to minimise the "erring".

Condolences to all concerned.

At 3.25s, she was falling at 65mph and according to the report above, by that time she cleared the burble by turning on her side.

At 65mph, it would take ~0.1s for PC to pop the pins and another ~0.2-0.3s to linestretch.

According to some witnesses, the pins poped just before the impact at 5.8s.

What was the PC doing from 3.25s to ~5.5s in clear airstream accelerating from 65mph to 90mph, if it wasn't entangled with her body?

Anyone have a different video of the accident showing what happened after 3s?

just curious, but how do you know this?
(several discussions have pointed out that there are too many variables to permit accurate speed calculations...)

" just curious, but how do you know this?
(several discussions have pointed out that there are too many variables to permit accurate speed calculations...) "
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I don't mean to butt-in here but I don't really think small technicality of MPH really matters. It's pretty well agreed upon that you don't get a 6th second & you are still falling to your Death at any speed of freefall off this bridge if you don't get a PC out in the airstreem. After the 4-sec. mark of FF and compounding FF speed. There is not much more that really matters if there is Not a Canopy being ripped out of the Container.

also, I know this is still a sensitive issue with it being only a Week old fatality and is nothing that will be discussed that can bring her back. The (If Only's and Why's) wont change the outcome but (in my opinion) the issue of the PC Toss is the main lesson to be learned here. I think it pretty clear that there was Not a Full Tossing Motion of the PC reveled after continuous Video review.
I would truly be interested in any other videos of other BASE jumps made which would "compare" some other Pitches & her technique of the Pilot-Chute pitch.
The fault I think plainly is Pilot Error and if this is a one-time Fluke than you can chalk it up too the proverbial "Bad luck & shit just happens"
If this was a jumpers continuous habit of a BASE PC pitch. Then it ( MIGHT ) be a VERY USEFUL example for everyone one out there in Helping to keep an Eye-On each other.
Was this a continuous habit of Pitching the PC ? or just a one-time Fluke of technique ?
Maybe something can be salvaged here, as far as learning from examining the Main Cause then translating that to modify and better the Basics of Teaching & Instruction on How to stay alive BASE jumping. Maintaining Body Positioning before and after the Pitch is all important but the initiation of opening sequences by the Pitch is up there as well in importance.
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It was a one time thing.

I've split the "when to get out of BASE" discussion off this thread, into it's own thread.

It started with Ray Losli's post, which is still on topic for this discussion. Because I moved Ray's post, I am reproducing it here:

I've removed the discussion about use of sliders from this object, and given that stuff it's own thread.

2-Splits, Ahhhhh now I see. Damn I am Slow. Is all that's allowed to be Post/discused is, Thanks for Posting the Vid. Tim. or Exact mechanical & detailed discussions of the fatality that the Video review Link ?
What exactly are we allowed to talk about in this Thread. I mean if (I or We) had some Exact guild lines drawn-up on what permitted lines or avenues of discussion that is permitted to peruse on a Thread topic. It would be very helpful when Posting what thought to which category of Thread allowed before someone actually typed it up to Post ? It would save a lot of guesstimating on the slower crowd of people like myself who don't catch on to fast.
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Guide lines: Use this thread for discussions of the specific incident (the fatality over Memorial Day in Idaho) under discussion. Start new threads for discussions of appropriate gear configuration for the object, or discussions of personal BASE decisions, or other things not specifically about that one incident.

Thanks!

Ray, brotherman, ya want a crayon?

Tom, delete if this is blasphemous to the holy BASE Forum

jk

I really don't think it needs to be Deleted.
But like the rest. It Just needs to be Split-Off to it's own Thread, titled. Is Ray so slow he Needs a Crayon ?
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After further review, another set of eyes and much better software to de-interlace the frames, a revision to the review has been posted.

The findings make a lot more sense now.

Basically, her hand came off the pilot chute during initial extraction and as she reached back for it, her hand pushed the PC the rest of the way out of the pouch and onto the back side under the BOC area.

It happened in one quick motion and looked like it was pulled and thrown in the wrong direction.

One thing that must be engrained and practiced prior to each jump is a firm grip on the pilot chute before beginning the extraction and throw. It may sound obvious, but it requires practice.