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Australian accident investigators on Thursday released dramatic photos of a skydiver’s parachute getting caught in the tail of an airplane, leaving him hanging at an altitude of 4,500 meters (15,000 feet).
The skydiver, Adrian Ferguson, used a hook knife to free himself during the incident that began on 20 September and suffered minor injuries to his leg. Tully airport in queensland State. The pilot and 16 other parachutists aboard the Cessna Caravan were not injured that day.
Australian Transport Safety Bureau Released video along with its report on the accident investigation.
The aircraft had reached the desired altitude where the skydivers were planning to execute a 16-way formation jump. The 17th parachutist was at the open door, waiting for the others to record video of their jump.
The report said Ferguson was leaving the plane when the ripcord of his reserve shot got stuck in the wing flap.
The chute missed and immediately threw Fergason backwards. He knocked the camera operator out of the plane and fell. Ferguson’s feet then hit the trail’s horizontal stabilizer, before the slope entangled around him and he hung down.
Ferguson used a knife to cut 11 lines that enabled him to fall from the plane with part of the chute torn off.
He released his main shoot, which was fully inflated despite becoming entangled in the remains of the reserve shoot, and he landed safely.
Meanwhile, most of the other skydivers had jumped. The pilot had two skydivers struggling to control the aircraft while part of the chute was still entangled around the tail.
The pilot called a mayday and was wearing emergency gear and ready to eject. But brisbane Air traffic authorities decided that he had sufficient control of the aircraft to land safely in Tully. It landed without incident.
Angus Mitchell, the Bureau’s Chief Commissioner, said, “Carrying a hook knife – although it is not a regulatory requirement – can be lifesaving in the event of a premature reserve parachute deployment.”