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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!poseidon!brent
From: brent@poseidon.UUCP (Brent P. Callaghan)
Newsgroups: net.rec.skydive
Subject: Landing awareness
Message-ID: <1403@poseidon.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 17-Feb-86 13:46:44 EST
Article-I.D.: poseidon.1403
Posted: Mon Feb 17 13:46:44 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 18-Feb-86 04:06:03 EST
Organization: AT&T Information Systems, Lincroft NJ
Lines: 44

It's funny how accidents can creep up on you at the most
unexpected times.

A couple of years ago I was visiting the DZ at Spaceland, TX
where they have all the Twin Otters.  A nice place to jump
and a nice bunch of people.  On the climbout you get a good view
of the Johnson Spacecraft Center and the Saturn V rocket lying
on it's side.

I participated in a fun 6 way dive, then docked third on
a triplane during the canopy ride.  I was feeling quite
happy and relaxed; what could go wrong now ?

On approach to the landing area I noticed that we were 
going to land short, so I asked to be dropped.  I flew
out to one side to clear the other two, and continued
toward the packing area.

I flared for landing and tippy-toed into the grass.
I was suprised when my canopy crashed to the ground
in front of me with a loud THUMP!

The canopy struggled a bit, then a dazed skydiver emerged.
It seems that after clearing the biplane I had flown back
underneath it and the stack pilot had dropped his buddy
into the middle of my canopy as I flared.

We were all very grateful that it hadn't happened just a
little bit higher!  
Whose fault ?  We agreed that we all were at fault.
Being underneath, my canopy had blocked my view of them,
and I had assumed that they were looking out for me.
In concentrating on their own landings, they had not
noticed me sliding back underneath.

Needless to say: I'm very careful now to be aware of where
everyone is when I'm coming in to land.
It's nice when fate gives us such gentle lessons in safety.
-- 
				
Made in New Zealand -->		Brent Callaghan
				AT&T Information Systems, Lincroft, NJ
				{ihnp4|mtuxo|pegasus}!poseidon!brent
				(201) 576-3475