Calay News
When a parachute becomes entangled during skydiving, the consequences can be severe. Such entanglements can cause the skydiver to lose control, leading to a loss of altitude and a potentially hard landing. In some instances, the parachute might even become tangled with the skydiver’s attire, resulting in the skydiver being dislodged from the parachute and falling to the ground.
Jordan Hatmaker experienced a parachute mishap during a jump from 13,500 feet, resulting in a high-speed impact that broke her back, leg, and ankle. The incident occurred during her 16th jump, leaving her with severe injuries, including paralysis from the waist down. After 15 days of rehabilitation, she regained some mobility and practiced in a wind tunnel to potentially return to skydiving.
In the event of a main parachute failure, skydivers are trained to deploy their reserve parachute to ensure a safe landing. Centrifugal forces during spins can cause blood to shift away from the brain, affecting decision-making and reaction times. While parachute failure is rare, its consequences can be lethal.
Skydiving twists, caused by incorrect body alignment during freefall, can lead to uncontrolled spinning. Though parachute failures are infrequent, the importance of following safety guidelines cannot be overstated. While parachute malfunctions are extremely unlikely, the presence of an automatic activation device (AAD) ensures deployment at a certain altitude. Reserve parachutes serve as a backup, with a B-17 model being common in ram air parachutes.
Double parachute malfunctions, where both parachutes fail to deploy, are dangerous and usually stem from pilot error, equipment failure, or adverse weather conditions. Despite the risks, skydiving remains a popular sport in Virginia, offering thrill-seekers the chance to experience the exhilarating freefall and controlled descent back to the ground.
