PARACHUTE FATALITY

Otago Witness, Issue 4028, 26 May 1931, Page 67

PARACHUTE FATALITY

<sr ’ CAUSE OF THE MISHAP. COURT OF INQUIRY’S FINDING. WELLINGTON, May 22. The Court of Inquiry which has investigated the death of Lieutenant Haakon Qviller, the Norwegian aviator, aged 35, who lost his life when his parachute failed to open during a demonstration descent at Oamaru on May 2, returned a formal verdict of death owing to the parachute not opening. Lieutenant Qviller fell from a height of 5400 feet It was pointed out by the Court that the danger of a parachute packed with rigging lines wrapped round the main parachute not opening was too great, and it has been decided to prohibit this form of packing in New Zealand in future. Squadron-leader J. L. Findlay. M.C., was president of the court, and associated with him were Flight-lieutenant M W Buckley and Flight-lieutenant J. C. Mercer In announcing the court’s finding the Minister of Defence (Mr J. G. Cobbe) stated that the court was of the opinion that the cause of the parachute failing to open was as follows:—“When the bundle comprising the parachute rigging ifties and cone was released it unrolled normally to a point midway between the parachute proper and the cone. At this stage the parachute bundle dipped at one end allowing one of the rigging lines to loop itself round the parachute in the form of a half-hitch. It is easily demonstrable that this was sufficient to prevent the remainder of the bundle from unrolling. Indeed, the stronger the pull exerted after this stage the tighter would the cord become wrapped round the parachute.” “ It must be borne in mind,” states the finding, “ that the type of parachute used by the deceased was not intended for making delayed opening descents Nevertheless, it is patent that the danger of the parachute not opening is inherent in any form of parachute packed in this way, that is with ‘ the rigging lines wrapped round the main parachute, and the court recommends that that form of packing be henceforth prohibited.” The Minister stated that it was not intended to permit the use of this type of parachute in New Zealand in the future.