Bouncing is the term used in skydiving accidents, because, supposedly, if you hit the ground at terminal velocity, your body will bounce up three feel in the air as your organs liquify. Though I knew people who died skydiving, I fortunately never witnessed one directly nor was a victim.
Jordan Hatmakers’s story of her major malfunction made me want to share my experience of a major malfunction which, fortunately, I was not severely injured. Jordan bounced but somehow survived.
In 1989, I was in North Carolina visiting family and went to the drop zone in Franklin County to jump. With few jumpers around, I could only do a hop-and-pop from 4000 feet. My log book shows it as my 32nd jump (right side) and my first jump after qualifying for my A-license (left side).
Parachutists Magazine was printed in 1989, and each month they published accidents and incidents, what happened, corrective action, etc. I read a lot of them. And in those crucial seconds – I estimate that I would have bounced in 3-5 seconds – I remember reading When both main and reserve chutes are out together, pull one of them down. So I did, pulling down the reserve and my main inflated to about 75%. And while I didn’t have complete control and ended up landing hard and wracking up my right side, I survived.
I haven’t looked through the log book in decades. JQ, who signed for my license, and Quaszy, who was in the 1988 then-record for most jumpers in formation, died in an accident with a student pilot along with others with whom I had previously jumped. [NTSB report blamed both pilots.] I had jumped with all the deceased.
I stopped jumping in June 1990 as my girlfriend, soon-to-be first wife, wasn’t very interested in hanging around every weekend jumping, so I stopped. I’d forgotten most of the names who signed my log book. Looks like I still owe Bill a case of beer for my first jump on camera. I wonder if Bob is still a state trooper. Deb, JQ’s wife, was the last person I jumped with. Ahhh, the memories …. at least I’m alive for them!
