Stunning video shows the moment a skydiver’s parachute got caught on a plane’s tail — leaving him dangling 15,000 feet above the ground.
The parachutist was climbing out the door and preparing to jump out over North Queensland, Australia, when the handle for his reserve parachute hooked onto a partially extended wing flap, causing it to deploy as he jumped, the hair-raising footage shows.
The reserve parachute then became entangled on the aircraft’s tail, leaving the man desperately flailing from the back of the speeding jet, video from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) shows.
A skydiver was left dangling 15,000 feet in the air after his parachute caught on the plane’s tail. Australian Transport Safety Bureau via StoryfulThe man damaged the Cessna Caravan’s left stabilizer, and the pilot, unaware of what had just happened, recalled feeling the aircraft suddenly “pitch up,” and observed the airspeed rapidly decreasing, the ATSB’s chief commissioner, Angus Mitchell, said Thursday, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
Believing the aircraft had stalled, the pilot “pushed forward on the control column and applied power in response” in order to regain control, Mitchell said.
Thirteen parachutists who were still on board quickly bailed from the plane.
Two others stayed behind until the man caught on the tail frantically used a knife to cut 11 lines from the reserve parachute, causing it to tear and freeing him from the plane.
The skydiver then deployed his main parachute and landed safely with the others, suffering only minor injuries, the ATSB said.
While preparing to jump over North Queensland, the parachutist’s reserve chute snagged on a wing flap and deployed. Australian Transport Safety Bureau via Storyful
The terrifying incident occurred over Tully Airport, about 1,000 miles north of Brisbane, on Sept. 20 with the Far North Freefall Club. Australian Transport Safety Bureau via StoryfulThe pilot, still unable to regain full control, declared a “mayday” distress call to air traffic controllers and prepared to jump out of the plane himself. But after descending about 2,500 feet, the pilot felt confident he could land safely and proceeded to do so.
The incident occurred over Tully Airport, some 1,000 miles north of the Queensland capital, Brisbane, on September 20 with members of Queensland’s Far North Freefall Club.
One of the 17 skydivers aboard was a camera operator who captured the terrifying incident on film and provided it to investigators, officials said.
