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From: ryoder@en.ecn.purdue.edu (Robert W Yoder)
Newsgroups: rec.skydiving
Subject: Re: Near Accident...
Message-ID: <1991Mar20.154908.16901@en.ecn.purdue.edu>
Date: 20 Mar 91 15:49:08 GMT
References: <8bt3JYm00V86NdvX4E@andrew.cmu.edu> <1085@wa4mei.UUCP>
Distribution: usa
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network
Lines: 32

In article <1085@wa4mei.UUCP>, chrise@wa4mei.UUCP (Chris England) writes:

[text deleted]

> I was witness to a similar "near accident".  A friend of mine and I were
> on the last load of the day, and planned on turning multiple points on a
> two-way.  I was following him out of the aircraft (c-182), when I noticed his 
> reserve pilot chut burbling slightly.  I reacted suddenly by shoving him
> off of the step, as he was unaware of what was behind him.  I would guess
> that when the reserve deployed, his head missed the elevator by about
> 3 feet.  Now, as controversial as my actions may have been, the point
> is, pin checks always need to be administered.  

A fellow I knew was getting ready to make a solo exit from the step of a
182 one day, when he realized his backpack was snagged on something.  As
he struggled to free it, the pilot suddenly saw the main pilot chute
leave his back, and responded by stomping full right rudder.  The fellow
was ripped off of the step by the inflating canopy.  Thanks to the pilots'
quick thinking, no damage was done.  Unfortunately, I had exited a few
seconds earlier, so I missed all the fun. :-)

"You should have seen his face when he left!", the pilot gleefully told us.

The rig in question was gutter gear, and the ripcord housing had looped
on the hook-shaped door handle.  It was replaced by a D-shaped handle after
this incident.

-- 
Robert Yoder  "It's 10 o'clock.  Do you know where your child processes are?"
306 Hawkins Graduate House  Internet: ryoder@ecn.purdue.edu
West Lafayette, IN 47906    Bitnet:   ryoder%ecn.purdue.edu@purccvm
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