Narrative:

A skydiver had a malfunction of his main canopy which was a pilot chute in tow. He apparently failed to take corrective action quickly enough. His reserve parachute was opening as he impacted the ground. As PIC it was my responsibility to affirm that all reserve parachutes on board were in date, that being 120 days since last pack by a licensed rigger. I failed to check reserve packing cards. I am an experienced skydiver with over 1800 jumps. I have never had a pilot check my reserve parachute packing card to assure it was in date. All skydivers are aware of this requirement, if they are uspa (united states parachute association) rated. Even if not uspa rated, I can't imagine an experienced skydiver being unaware of the regulation. It seems impractical and unfair that the burden of confirmation that the reserve is in date should fall on the PIC. The user of the equipment or the owner of the equipment would be much more reasonable to have as the responsible party. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter made report to FAA right after the mishap and has not heard from them since. At the suggestion of ASRS he called the denver NTSB office to see if they had any interest in this accident and they advised him no. Since the skydiver cleared the aircraft without any contact with it, it was then his own problem as to the parachutes and the deployment of same. Needless to say, the reporter was greatly relieved that his involvement was not considered contributory in any way.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SKYDIVER'S CHUTES FAILED TO DEPLOY PROPERLY RESULTING IN A FATALITY.

Narrative: A SKYDIVER HAD A MALFUNCTION OF HIS MAIN CANOPY WHICH WAS A PLT CHUTE IN TOW. HE APPARENTLY FAILED TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION QUICKLY ENOUGH. HIS RESERVE PARACHUTE WAS OPENING AS HE IMPACTED THE GND. AS PIC IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO AFFIRM THAT ALL RESERVE PARACHUTES ON BOARD WERE IN DATE, THAT BEING 120 DAYS SINCE LAST PACK BY A LICENSED RIGGER. I FAILED TO CHK RESERVE PACKING CARDS. I AM AN EXPERIENCED SKYDIVER WITH OVER 1800 JUMPS. I HAVE NEVER HAD A PLT CHK MY RESERVE PARACHUTE PACKING CARD TO ASSURE IT WAS IN DATE. ALL SKYDIVERS ARE AWARE OF THIS REQUIREMENT, IF THEY ARE USPA (UNITED STATES PARACHUTE ASSOCIATION) RATED. EVEN IF NOT USPA RATED, I CAN'T IMAGINE AN EXPERIENCED SKYDIVER BEING UNAWARE OF THE REG. IT SEEMS IMPRACTICAL AND UNFAIR THAT THE BURDEN OF CONFIRMATION THAT THE RESERVE IS IN DATE SHOULD FALL ON THE PIC. THE USER OF THE EQUIP OR THE OWNER OF THE EQUIP WOULD BE MUCH MORE REASONABLE TO HAVE AS THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR MADE RPT TO FAA RIGHT AFTER THE MISHAP AND HAS NOT HEARD FROM THEM SINCE. AT THE SUGGESTION OF ASRS HE CALLED THE DENVER NTSB OFFICE TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANY INTEREST IN THIS ACCIDENT AND THEY ADVISED HIM NO. SINCE THE SKYDIVER CLRED THE ACFT WITHOUT ANY CONTACT WITH IT, IT WAS THEN HIS OWN PROB AS TO THE PARACHUTES AND THE DEPLOYMENT OF SAME. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE RPTR WAS GREATLY RELIEVED THAT HIS INVOLVEMENT WAS NOT CONSIDERED CONTRIBUTORY IN ANY WAY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.