[PDF] accident parachute tandem

Did a skydiving instructor die during a tandem jump with a student?

A skydiving instructor died during a tandem jump with a student after his parachute failed to open properly. Representatives of Skydive House confirmed to NBC2 that a member of their team died in an accident on Saturday afternoon.

Did a skydiving parachute fail to open?

Waller County Sheriff Troy Guidry told CNN a female skydiving customer and her male instructor were doing a tandem jump Saturday afternoon near the city of Waller, northwest of Houston and “the parachute failed to open.” He added, “The primary and secondary [parachutes] both just kind of swirled down.”

What happened at Skydive Houston?

The victim, whose identity wasn’t immediately released, suffered “severe” injuries in the tandem jump Saturday afternoon at Skydive Houston in Waller, where he was rushed to a hospital, company officials said Sunday. The instructor’s female student was airlifted to a hospital with “serious” injuries, but is expected to survive, the company said.

Did canopy not fully deploy during tandem jump?

Both were initially reported to be in critical condition, the sheriff said. Witness Alex Arias, who lives near the incident, told NBC affiliate KPRC of Houston at least one canopy didn't fully deploy during the tandem jump. “He let off his primary, and then the secondary chute, like, opened halfway up, so he didn’t fall like a straight fall.