Skydiver Rescued After Parachute Snags on Plane at 15,000 Feet

A skydive in northern Queensland, Australia, turned perilous when skydiver Adrian Ferguson found himself dangling beneath the aircraft he had just exited, suspended at approximately 15,000 feet. This dramatic incident occurred on September 20, 2023, during a jump run from Tully Airport, involving a Cessna Caravan carrying a pilot and 17 parachutists.

As the first jumper, Ferguson prepared to exit the aircraft for a planned 16-way formation jump. However, as he leapt into the air, the handle of his reserve parachute snagged on the aircraft’s wing flap. A final report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) detailed that the reserve parachute deployed violently, causing Ferguson to be yanked backward. His legs struck the aircraft’s horizontal stabilizer before the parachute entangled around it, leaving him suspended below the tailplane.

The pilot of the Cessna reported a sudden pitch-up of the aircraft, accompanied by a rapid decrease in airspeed. Initially thinking the plane had stalled, the pilot quickly reassessed the situation upon realizing that a person was attached to the tail. As the aircraft vibrated and became difficult to control, most of the remaining parachutists exited. Only two stayed onboard with the pilot, witnessing Ferguson’s struggle as he reached for a hook knife to cut himself free.

Ferguson successfully severed 11 lines of his reserve parachute, allowing him to escape. Once free, he entered a free-fall and managed to deploy his main parachute, which, despite being entangled with remnants of the reserve chute, inflated correctly. He landed safely, though he sustained minor leg injuries.

The pilot declared a mayday, preparing to abandon the aircraft if it lost control further. With part of the parachute still wrapped around the damaged tailplane, the aircraft faced limited pitch control. Nevertheless, the pilot discovered that by applying forward pressure, a gradual descent was achievable. Air traffic control assessed that the Cessna could attempt a landing, which it did successfully, returning to Tully.

In conjunction with its report, the ATSB released video footage of the incident, emphasizing a key takeaway: carrying a hook knife—while not a regulatory requirement—can be lifesaving in emergencies involving premature reserve parachute deployments. Investigators also noted unrelated weight and balance issues, highlighting the precarious nature of the situation that day. The quick actions taken by Ferguson, particularly the use of the hook knife at a critical moment, were pivotal in averting a potentially tragic outcome.