TECHNICAL & SAFETY COMMITTEE International Parachuting Commission FAI
2009 Safety Report 40 countries supplied data 5,452,521 made by 955,558 62 people skydiving
skydives were jumpers were killed
(these figures include Tandems) 1 Fatality per 87,944 jumps 15,412 jumpers
62 Fatalities
12 Students (19%) 14 Intermed. (23%) Freefalls 36 Experts (58%)
Total 62
0-25 Freefalls 26-250 251 + Freefalls
Cutaway & Low/No reserve pull No pull/low pull on main Others 51
Total 62
4 7
‘ Other’ Fatalities (51)
Fast Canopies 12 Other Landing Errors 11 Tandem 7 Collision under open Canopies 6 Medical Issues 3 AAD-activated Reserve Entanglement with jumper 2 Collision with aircraft 2 Brake-lock, spiralling main canopy 1 Rotating main with twists, no action taken 1 Reserve bridle on jumper’s leg, reserve could not deploy 1 Reserve activation resulted in downplane 1 Low navigation collision 1 Hard pull on main, AAD fired, impact before reserve open
Fatalities – Largest Groups
1 Fast Canopies 62
12 - 19% of
2 Landing Errors 62
11 - 18% of
3 Tandem 7 - 11% of 62 No/Low Main Pull 7 11% of 62
Significant Figures •
44 of the 62 fatalities (71%) appear to have occurred with the parachutist having at least one good parachute on his/her back
•
30 of the 62 fatalities (48%) occurred after the successful deployment of the main parachute
•
10 of the 62 fatalities (16%) might have been avoided by AAD use
•
49 of the 62 fatalities (79%) appear to have been caused by human error
6 (10%) of the 62 Fatalities were First Jump Students 7 ( 11%) of the 62 Fatalities were Tandem fatalities
Some Trends & Issues
Continuing high numbers of fatalities, 32 – 52%, resulting from canopy handling, canopy control, and landing issues. Roughly similar percentage distribution of fatalities between Student/Intermediate/Expert as in previous years – no significant change. Increased use of AAD and RSL reported
Tandem - Solo
Tandems 13.5% of all jumps, Tandem + Solo jumps
2008 - 12.1%; 2007 - 9.6%; 2006 – 12.2%; 2005 – 10.4%
4,717,493 Solo jumps – 735,028 Tandems
Tandems ratio to other types of First Jump To Static Line and IAD/JAD 11 : 1 To AFF 14 : 1 To S/L, IAD/JAD, AFF combined 6 : 1
Tandem Fatalities 7 (11%) (89%)
Solo Fatalities 55
Distribution of Reports DISTRIBUTION OF REPORTS This report, along with 2009 AAD Report, and Power Point presentations for both Safety and AAD reports, has been sent by e-mail to all respondents and to all other countries for which the T&S Committee has e-mail addresses. CDs are available to IPC Delegates and to Technical and Safety Officers who request copies. The CD has the following material 2009 Safety Survey Report 2009 AAD Report Safety Survey 2010 Form
2009 Safety Survey Report Power Point Presentation 2009 AAD Report Power Point Presentation Safety Survey 2010 Notes AAD Survey 2010 Form
Information Notices (8) issued in 2010 by T & S Committee of IPC Instructor Requirements Survey Report APPEAL Those countries who did not report for 2009 are requested to make a special effort to do so for 2010. The compilation of data is to the benefit of the country gathering same, and to the worldwide skydiving community.