Skydiver Rescued After Parachute Snags Aircraft at 15,000 Feet

A skydive in northern Queensland, Australia, turned perilous when a parachutist became entangled beneath the aircraft he had just exited. The incident occurred on September 20, 2023, during a jump run from Tully Airport. The Cessna Caravan, carrying a pilot and 17 parachutists, was preparing for a formation jump when the first jumper, Adrian Ferguson, encountered a life-threatening situation.

As Ferguson began his descent, the handle of his reserve parachute snagged on the aircraft’s wing flap. According to a report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), the reserve parachute deployed violently, pulling Ferguson backward. His legs struck the plane’s horizontal stabilizer before the parachute wrapped around it, leaving him dangling approximately 15,000 feet in the air.

The pilot of the Cessna Caravan reported an immediate reaction to the unexpected situation. “I felt the aircraft suddenly pitch up and observed the airspeed rapidly decreasing,” said Angus Mitchell, Chief Commissioner of the ATSB. Initially, the pilot believed the aircraft had stalled, but this assessment quickly changed when it became clear that a person was attached to the tail.

While the aircraft vibrated and resisted control inputs, most of the other parachutists exited the plane. Two individuals remained on board with the pilot, monitoring Ferguson’s struggle. The skydiver managed to reach for a hook knife to cut through the lines of his reserve parachute. After severing 11 lines and tearing enough fabric, he freed himself from the aircraft.

Once clear, Ferguson entered free-fall and successfully deployed his main parachute, despite getting tangled in remnants of the reserve chute. He landed safely, sustaining only minor leg injuries. Meanwhile, the pilot had declared a mayday and prepared to abandon the aircraft if conditions worsened. With part of the parachute still attached to the damaged tail, the plane had limited pitch control.

“By applying forward pressure, they discovered they could achieve a gradual descent,” Mitchell explained. Air traffic control advised the pilot to attempt a landing, and the aircraft returned safely to Tully.

The ATSB subsequently released video footage of the incident alongside its findings. The report emphasized the importance of carrying a hook knife, which, although not a regulatory requirement, can be lifesaving in emergencies involving premature reserve parachute deployments.

Investigators also identified unrelated weight and balance issues that contributed to the precarious nature of the flight that day. The incident serves as a reminder of the thin margin for error in parachuting and the critical role of quick thinking and preparedness.

Ferguson’s experience underscores the importance of safety measures in skydiving, and the potential consequences of even minor equipment malfunctions.