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iscooterliberally

(3,150 posts) Fri Dec 12, 2025, 07:07 AM Dec 12

Skydiver dangles at 15,000 feet after parachute catches on plane's tail in Australia

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Omaha Steve (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: AP World News

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australian accident investigators on Thursday released dramatic images of a skydiver’s parachute becoming entangled on an airplane’s tail, leaving him dangling at 4,500 meters (15,000 feet.)

The skydiver, Adrian Ferguson, used a hook knife to cut himself free and sustained minor leg injuries during the incident on Sept. 20 that began at Tully Airport in Queensland state. The pilot and 16 other parachutists on board the Cessna Caravan that day were not hurt.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau released the video with its report on its investigation into the mishap.

The plane had reached the desired altitude where the skydivers were planning to execute a 16-way formation jump. A 17th parachutist was at an open door waiting to record video as the others jumped.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/australia-parachute-entangled-ff6a37bbeb8af80718114a9b379b7b49

Yikes!

10 replies

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Skydiver dangles at 15,000 feet after parachute catches on plane's tail in Australia (Original Post) iscooterliberally Dec 12 OP

A group of birds are called a flock, a group of cows, a herd What do you call a group of skydivers? spike jones Dec 12 #1

As an experienced skydiver skydive forever Dec 12 #2

On a wing flap? I'm thinking maybe on that door hinge? Bengus81 Dec 12 #3

Isn't that unusually high? Unwind Your Mind Dec 12 #5

It's not if you're doing relative work like they were jmowreader Dec 12 #7

It Sounds Like There Were 16 Divers lavoosh99 Dec 12 #9

Throw out those underwear orangecrush Dec 12 #4

That would have been my luck. Though I probably wouldn't have survived. chowder66 Dec 12 #6

Jumping out of a plane never appealed to me. Skiing when I was younger, mt. biking, kayaking are fun enough for me. I Exp Dec 12 #8

AFTER a review by forum hosts LOCKING Omaha Steve Dec 12 #10

spike jones

(1,986 posts)

1. A group of birds are called a flock, a group of cows, a herd What do you call a group of skydivers?

Reply to iscooterliberally (Original post)

Fri Dec 12, 2025, 09:29 AM

Dec 12

A splat of skydivers.

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skydive forever

(510 posts)

2. As an experienced skydiver

Reply to iscooterliberally (Original post)

Fri Dec 12, 2025, 09:50 AM

Dec 12

(about 350 jumps) That right there is a nightmare scenario. Not just for the jumper.

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Bengus81

(9,758 posts)

3. On a wing flap? I'm thinking maybe on that door hinge?

Reply to skydive forever (Reply #2)

Fri Dec 12, 2025, 09:58 AM

Dec 12

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Unwind Your Mind

(2,315 posts)

5. Isn't that unusually high?

Reply to skydive forever (Reply #2)

Fri Dec 12, 2025, 10:38 AM

Dec 12

I’ve gone twice and loved it

I feel like we only went to 5000 feet, maybe that’s for newbies?

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jmowreader

(52,869 posts)

7. It's not if you're doing relative work like they were

Reply to Unwind Your Mind (Reply #5)

Fri Dec 12, 2025, 11:19 AM

Dec 12

I went through the Fort Campbell Sport Parachute Club's new-skydiver course in 1983. They started you on static line, and you exited at 3000 feet. Once you had at least five static line jumps and your instructors thought you were ready, you went to 3000-foot "hop and pops" - exit the aircraft and immediately open your main canopy. After at least five hop and pops, if your instructor thought you were ready you would do five-second freefalls, and those were at 5000 feet exit altitude.

If you're making formations in the sky like this crew was, you really want to exit as high as they did so you have time to form up and break away before you reach opening altitude.

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lavoosh99

(41 posts)

9. It Sounds Like There Were 16 Divers

Reply to Unwind Your Mind (Reply #5)

Fri Dec 12, 2025, 11:54 AM

Dec 12

who were going to meet up in some kind of formation. According to the Google, a one mile free fall lasts about 25 seconds max while a three mile fall is around 90 seconds. Trying to get 16 people out of the plane and meeting up in 25 seconds doesn't appear to be a plan for success.

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orangecrush

(28,081 posts)

4. Throw out those underwear

Reply to iscooterliberally (Original post)

Fri Dec 12, 2025, 10:02 AM

Dec 12

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chowder66

(11,760 posts)

6. That would have been my luck. Though I probably wouldn't have survived.

Reply to iscooterliberally (Original post)

Fri Dec 12, 2025, 10:53 AM

Dec 12

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Exp

(747 posts)

8. Jumping out of a plane never appealed to me. Skiing when I was younger, mt. biking, kayaking are fun enough for me. I

Reply to iscooterliberally (Original post)

Fri Dec 12, 2025, 11:41 AM

Dec 12

never enjoyed the feeling of falling.

To each their own.

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Omaha Steve

(108,309 posts)

10. AFTER a review by forum hosts LOCKING

Reply to iscooterliberally (Original post)

Fri Dec 12, 2025, 01:27 PM

Dec 12

NOT important NEWS

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