How did the skydiver's parachute get caught on the plane?

The skydiver's reserve parachute handle snagged on the plane's wing flap during a stunt, causing the parachute to deploy and wrap around the tail.

What happened to the skydiver after their parachute caught the plane's tail?

The skydiver dangled thousands of metres in the air but used a hook knife to cut free, deployed their main parachute, and landed safely.

Was the plane damaged in the skydiver incident near Cairns?

Yes, the aircraft's tail was substantially damaged, and the pilot had limited control, necessitating a mayday call.

Home / Disasters and Accidents / Skydiver Dangles After Parachute Snags Plane Tail

Skydiver Dangles After Parachute Snags Plane Tail

11 Dec

•

Summary

A skydiver's parachute caught the plane's tail, leaving them dangling.
The incident occurred south of Cairns during a stunt in September.
The skydiver used a hook knife to free themself and landed safely.

Skydiver Dangles After Parachute Snags Plane Tail

A skydiver experienced a terrifying ordeal thousands of metres above the ground when their parachute became entangled with the plane's tail. The incident, which took place south of Cairns during a planned stunt, saw the skydiver flung backwards as their reserve parachute wrapped around the aircraft's tail.

Footage released by investigators shows the moment the skydiver's parachute handle snagged the plane's wing flap, causing the reserve chute to deploy prematurely. The skydiver, momentarily shocked, managed to use a hook knife to cut the strings and free themselves from the perilous situation.

Following the successful self-rescue, the skydiver deployed their main parachute and landed without further incident. The aircraft, however, suffered substantial damage to its tail, leading the pilot to issue a mayday call before safely landing the compromised plane.