PARACHUTE FATALITY

Hokitika Guardian, 25 May 1931, Page 5

PARACHUTE FATALITY

AIR FORCE INQUIRY. FAULTY METHOD OF PACKING. WELLINGTON, AUG- 22. 'l'lie A 1 inistej* ui Defence has received the report ol die Afilitaiy ( oust ot l.iifjuiry into the parachute accident at Oamnru, when -Lieutenant H.*. Qviller liis life. The Court comprised St|uadi-on-Loader J. L. [*'inuin v , AI.C., president, with Flight-Lieutenant's Al. W. Buckley and J. C. Aler< ; er, ol the New Zeaiaud Air Force. Their finding is as follows:—* “The Court finds that Lieutenant Haakon (Roller met his death owing to the fact that the parachute with which he was “giving a demonstration descent failed to open. The Court ts of opinion, that the cause of the parachute failing to open was as follows: When the bundle comprising the parachute, rigging lines aad cone was released, it unrolled normally to a point midway between the parachute propel' and the com*. At this stage the parachute handle dipped at one cud, allowing one of the rigging lines to loop it**2lf round. the parachute in 'the form of a, half hitch. It is easily denvuistratable that this is sufficient to prevent the remainder oT the bundle from on wiling; indeed the stronger the pull exe.ited after this stave the tighter wou'd the cord become wrapped min'd the paihelnite.

KECOAI.MEXDATIOX BY THICOUBT.

“If must be home in mind that the type of parachute used hy the deceased was not Intended for making delayed opening descents, nevertheless it is patent that the danger of a parachute not opening is inherent in any form of oa.rncliute packed in this wav, i. 0., with Liu* rigging lines wrapped round the main parachute, and the Court recommends that this form of packing he henceforth prohibited.”

'|’|i,* Al blister states that it is not ini muled to nermit the use o| this paiachutp in New Zealand.