Video shows tangled skydiver dangling from plane at 15,000 feet

A skydiver in Australia made it through an intense situation when their reserve parachute deployed and got entangled with the plane’s tail.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau on Dec. 11 released a video as part of an investigation report about the incident, which occurred Sept. 20 over Tully Airport in Queensland on the country’s northeastern coast. The skydiver was one of 17 freefall skydivers on board the Cessna 208 aircraft to execute a 16-way formation, which would be filmed by a parachuting camera operator, according to the report.

The performance was to be part of the ‘Big Ways at the Beach’ skydiving event where experienced parachute teams create large group formations.

When the plane reached about 15,000 feet, the camera operator exited the roller door and prepared to record the scene.

As the first parachutist prepared to exit the plane, their reserve parachute caught on the wing flap and inadvertently deployed. It then caught on the plane’s left horizontal stabilizer wing.

The action knocked the camera operator into a free fall, although the operator did land safely with only minor injury, according to the report.

Video shows skydiver caught in a terrifying scene

The first skydiver, who found themselves tangled and suspended, began using a knife to cut the parachute lines as 13 other parachutists jumped from the plane, the report said.

The dangling skydiver caused the aircraft to suddenly slow down and pitch up, ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said in a news release. “Initially unaware of what had occurred, the pilot believed the aircraft had stalled, and pushed forward on the control column and applied some power in response,” Mitchell said. “But upon being told there was a skydiver hung up on the tailplane, they reduced power again.”

When the skydiver cut enough lines to free the parachute, they went into free fall, too. Upon deploying their main parachute, it got tangled with the remains of the reserve chute, according to the report.

The skydiver was able to untangle the lines and land safely; they suffered minor lacerations and bruising to the left lower leg and a deep gash to the right lower leg from striking the stabilizer, the report said.

Part of the reserve parachute remained tangled on the damaged tailplane, but “the pilot managed to control the aircraft and land safely at Tully,” Mitchell said.

His message to skydivers? “Carrying a hook knife – although it is not a regulatory requirement – could be lifesaving in the event of a premature reserve parachute deployment,” he said.

This article originally appeared on USA Today

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