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Home  >  EMS Topics  >  Safety  >  Video: Skydiver survives 8000-foot plummet after parachutes fail
March 15, 2013

Video: Skydiver survives 8000-foot plummet after parachutes fail

The man miraculously survived with just bumps and bruises

KTXL

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — What happens when you jump out of a plane and your parachute doesn’t work? You pull the chord to your backup parachute. What happens when the backup chute fails you too?

According to KTXL, Craig Stapleton is one of the few who have survived to tell us.

“My last thought before I hit was, ‘I really hope I don’t hit an iron spike, because it’ll just be messy,’” Stapleton said. What Stapleton momentarily believed would be his final prayer was answered and then some. Not only did he miss being impaled, he landed softly in a vineyard, surviving a 30 mph impact with Mother Earth in Lodi, Calif.

Full story: Skydiver survives crash landing after parachutes fail

Comments
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Dan White Dan White Saturday, March 16, 2013 11:18:53 AM Not a total malfunction, or he wouldn't be walkin and talkin. Partial malfunction or what was in the old days was called a Mae West; lines over the canopy. It can still kill you, he was real lucky.
Michael Hatfield Michael Hatfield Saturday, March 16, 2013 2:38:24 PM Exactly, with total failure he would have hit the ground at closer to 120mph rather than 30.
Mark Cosgrove Mark Cosgrove Monday, March 18, 2013 1:54:46 AM Anyone who has jumped knows how brave this guy and what a terrifying event this is.
Joseph Ogershok Joseph Ogershok Monday, March 18, 2013 7:09:39 AM Why did he NOT cut away the main before he deployed the reserve. Four lettered word for successful outcome? Luck.
Dan White Dan White Monday, March 18, 2013 8:31:10 AM When I was taught they did not recommend cutting away before throwing reserve. Only in trees or water.
Adam Abramowitz Adam Abramowitz Monday, March 18, 2013 1:29:04 PM Could not agree more Dan. I have thousands of jumps on a stellato 107. I have witnessed low cut aways, bad air. Death. Lucky guy but not an 8k foot impact. Aka 120mph plus.

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