Australian accident investigators have released dramatic images showing a skydiver’s parachute entangled on an airplane’s tail, leaving him dangling at 15,000 feet.
The pilot made a mayday call and was prepared to bail out wearing an emergency chute. But Brisbane air traffic authorities decided he had enough control of the plane to land safely at Tully. It landed without incident.
I mean that was the right call, but it’s worded really strangely.
Air traffic control is there to help pilots fly safely. And of course there are lots of rules for pilots to follow.
But in a Mayday situation, no one can order the pilot to do anything. It’s 100% their decision what to do.Time to disconnect your RSD and cut away and hope the plane doesn’t crash.
Also, what the hell was he doing with his parachute out at 15k feet? I guess somehow the pilot chute must have popped out and that pulled the main canopy out…
Yeah I’m guessing the pilot chute or handle got caught on something in the way out the door?
Ferguson was leaving the plane when the ripcord of his reserve chute became snagged on a wing flap, the report said.
The chute released and immediately jerked Fergson backward. He knocked the camera operator clear from the plane and into a free fall. Ferguson’s legs then struck the trail’s horizontal stabilizer before the chute tangled around it and left him dangling.
Why guess when you could read the article?
Why guess when you could read the article?
Haha, forgot all about that. So it was his reserve that deployed not his main. Bummer.
Yeah makes sense. Sucks. Lucky to be just hanging.
