‘The pilot believed the aircraft had stalled’: Skydiver’s jump goes horribly wrong when his parachute catches on the plane, what he did in 60 seconds saved his life

An experienced skydiver faced a life-or-death situation when his reserve parachute got caught on the plane’s tail. He was left hanging violently at 15,000 feet above Australia. The nightmare incident happened after the blue and yellow aircraft had already completed two successful runs that day.

According to The Sun, the incident started as the skydiver, who had more than 2,000 dives under his belt, was moving toward the door. As he prepared to exit, the handle for his reserve parachute caught on the wing flap and accidentally deployed. He was yanked backward and smashed into the plane’s left horizontal stabilizer. The footage shows him desperately fighting for his life while other jumpers watched in horror.

The skydiver’s experience saved him. He found himself tangled and dangling hundreds of feet above the clouds, but he knew what to do. He quickly pulled out a hook knife and used it to cut all 11 lines of his reserve parachute in less than a minute. Once free, he deployed his main parachute and landed safely with only minor cuts and bruises on his lower legs.

The pilot had no idea a skydiver was tangled outside

While the skydiver fought for his life outside, the pilot dealt with his own crisis inside without knowing the cause. When the skydiver’s feet struck the plane’s body, it made controlling the aircraft much harder. ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell explained that the pilot felt the aircraft suddenly pitch up while the airspeed dropped rapidly.

“Initially unaware of what had occurred, the pilot believed the aircraft had stalled, and pushed forward on the control column and applied some power in response,” Mitchell added. 

The pilot said his controls were vibrating, and he thought the aircraft had stalled. He pushed forward on the control column and applied more power to keep the flight path straight and stable. The pilot issued a mayday signal to Brisbane Centre Air Traffic Control. He was even ready to bail out during the descent if he couldn’t land the plane safely.

After descending about 2,500 feet, the pilot regained enough confidence to land. Thirteen other skydivers had to jump out and past their trapped colleague, while two others stayed inside the plane to watch the situation.

It must have been terrifying for everyone involved. Parachute malfunctions remain one of the most dangerous scenarios skydivers face, and when backup parachutes are deliberately sabotaged, the results can be fatal.

“Carrying a hook knife –  although it is not a regulatory requirement – could be lifesaving in the event of a premature reserve parachute deployment,” Commissioner Mitchell explained. This Australian skydiver was lucky he was carrying one and knew how to use it quickly.

The skydiver walked away from this terrifying experience, but not all recent incidents ended well. In October, 62-year-old Robert Szabo died after a mid-air collision in Massachusetts. In April, a woman in her 30s died following an accident at a UK farm. Even in cases where both parachutes fail during a jump, survival remains incredibly rare.