Posted on Jul 21, 2015
Is The Jump Master Responsible In The Training Death Of A Paratrooper ?
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A jumpmaster’s failure to properly inspect a paratrooper’s static lines was determined the “single most definitive failure” that led to the parachuting death of a young female soldier, an Army investigation has found.
According to the informal AR 15-6 investigation, Schmigel’s equipment was misrouted so that, when exiting the plane, she became a “towed jumper.” While be being towed, the subsequent jumper exited the plane and Schmigel became entangled in his T-11 parachute. Schmigel reportedly died from fatal lacerations to the throat and a broken neck. The entire incident lasted three to four seconds, according to the report.
The findings, obtained by Army Times through a Freedom of Information Act request, are from the investigation conducted within the 82nd Airborne Division; another investigation represents the Army's formal query into the incident. That safety accident report by the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center has been completed and sent to command for review, and will be released in November or December, according to USACRC FOIA officer Vickie Hendrix.
http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/careers/army/enlisted/2015/07/20/report-jumpmaster-cited-training-death-paratrooper/30374491/
According to the informal AR 15-6 investigation, Schmigel’s equipment was misrouted so that, when exiting the plane, she became a “towed jumper.” While be being towed, the subsequent jumper exited the plane and Schmigel became entangled in his T-11 parachute. Schmigel reportedly died from fatal lacerations to the throat and a broken neck. The entire incident lasted three to four seconds, according to the report.
The findings, obtained by Army Times through a Freedom of Information Act request, are from the investigation conducted within the 82nd Airborne Division; another investigation represents the Army's formal query into the incident. That safety accident report by the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center has been completed and sent to command for review, and will be released in November or December, according to USACRC FOIA officer Vickie Hendrix.
http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/careers/army/enlisted/2015/07/20/report-jumpmaster-cited-training-death-paratrooper/30374491/
Airborne School
Fort Bragg
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 25
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When I was a Jumpmaster and Instructor we were taught to check the static line all the way down to the pack opening loop. I'm not familiar with the new procedures for the T-11 but it sounds like a rigger was involved with this mishap as well as the Jumpmaster/Safety. We always had a cherry Safety work with other experienced Safeties for their first few jumps. He was not taken care of by his fellow Jumpmasters.
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SGT (Join to see)
SFC Thomas Van Valkenburgl Your explanation is the best I've read. I'm so glad, whenever I went through jump school, there weren't any mistak s made by the jump masters. ABATW...
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Yes, I was never airborne. I was in an airborne MP unit, but was too chicken to complete airborne school. However, if I was airborne, I would hope that the Jumpmaster would be complete in his checks when he gets to my checks. Then afterwards he can boot me out the airplane with his size 13 boot. LOL
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SGT (Join to see)
SGT Felicia King , You weren't chicken, you were just smarter than the rest of us. Lol
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Yes. As a Jumpmaster you assume the responsibility and safety of every Jumper all the way to the drop zone. You are the one that is never wrong; why because someone's life depends on it. As a JM my first thought and last thought was always the safety of the jumpers it didn't matter if they were on my stick or not I was always looking for something wrong because there always is at least on thing that could have been missed. But that's why you have a team of Jumpmaster's you look out for each other.
What has me baffled is when I was a new Jumpmaster I was shadowed by a senior JM for several jumps in all the positions till I showed to them that I was proficient in all of my JM tasks, and if I went un-current any amount of time then I went thru refresher training and was shadowed again. Finally I know for a fact that I would have NEVER be allowed to performed duties as a JM if I missed the JM brief.
What has me baffled is when I was a new Jumpmaster I was shadowed by a senior JM for several jumps in all the positions till I showed to them that I was proficient in all of my JM tasks, and if I went un-current any amount of time then I went thru refresher training and was shadowed again. Finally I know for a fact that I would have NEVER be allowed to performed duties as a JM if I missed the JM brief.
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I feel a lot of people on the Jumpmaster team are to blame for this one. Whoever JMPI'd her could have taken the time to re-dress her static line for one. The Jumping Jumpmaster could have taken the time to look at everyone's parachute one last time as they entered the bird. The Safety should have seen that when doing their checks. And the Jumpmaster graduated from the school 185 days ago and had yet to pull any safety duties before this... Come on, especially a recent graduate knows that they need to pull duties at least every 180 days or complete a Jumpmaster Refresher to stay current. Then on top of all of this to still be added to the final air letter as a safety and not going to rehearsal or the Airborne Commander's meeting. Also, during "Check Static Lines" the Soldier behind her didn't check her static line on her pack tray. Could have told the safety that her static line was misrouted under her Main curved pin protector flap. Lots of people are at fault on this and because of everyone being lackadaisical about their duties a good paratrooper lost her life.
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I think this question needs to be more branched out.. Without a doubt the Jumpmaster is at fault, but what about the rest of the command that led to the failure of this jump. Why in the world would you have have several brand new Jumpmasters performing there first duty AT NIGHT AND why would you have a safety not performing safety duties.
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SGT (Join to see)
SFC (Join to see), The senior jumpmasters are as much at fault as anyone. Because ordinary safety rules, and missing the briefing the night before, the junior Jumpmaster set himself up for failure at the expense of the young soldier. When I jumped, I depended solely on trusting my jumpmaster, the black hats, and my buddy check. This accident was so uncalled for. I hope it never happens again.
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SFC (Join to see)
I agree, when I said "Command" I didnt specifically mean the "higher-ups" But everyone involved in this process that let the red flags go unchecked and unnoticed.
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SFC Joseph Bosley
Airborne units like the 82nd rarely operate during daylight so night jumps are the norm. Actually my first safety as a jumpmaster was a 6 ship mass tactical operation over Holland DZ back in '94. Honestly is a real eye opener as to just what a jumpmaster must be capable of doing. That's my unit had a policy of new safeties being partnered with experienced. However all this banter doesnt change the fact the the primary jumpmaster is overall responsible for everything on the chalk. New safeties or not he/she is responsible for their actions and failures.
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SGT Carissa Lara, RCS
I thought the same thing. I've never been Airborne but my husband has and we discussed this article. The first thing he said was "Yes he's at fault but where were her NCOs?" He used to get checked and rechecked by everyone from CSM on down to his PSG. That was on top of the Jump master inspecting him. Was it annoying? Yes! But he's still here to complain about it and he's grateful for all those NCOs looking out for him.
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I didn't take the course but I did study for it during my tenure with the 82nd. If that would have happened on my watch it wouldn't even be a question, as far as I'm concerned I would have assumed the responsibility for it before the bird left the tarmac. Jump master is an important and vital role, and should be treated with the gravity it commands.
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The simple straight forward answer to the question is yes.
There were a number of things that were wrong about this particular incident. The entire jumpmaster team is at fault to include the chain of command, support and the airborne commander.
However, I believe that the investigation statement as made “single most definitive failure” is political pablum.
I am not a jumpmaster or a rigger, but from reading between the lines, an item that does not appear to be addressed by any of the commentary is the possibility of a design flaw in the static line system of this particular pack configuration. Undue pressure on the flap covering a release pin causing the pin to bind and not release definitely sounds like a design flaw to me. And no amount of additional training and inspections will correct that issue if that part of the report is correct.
There were a number of things that were wrong about this particular incident. The entire jumpmaster team is at fault to include the chain of command, support and the airborne commander.
However, I believe that the investigation statement as made “single most definitive failure” is political pablum.
I am not a jumpmaster or a rigger, but from reading between the lines, an item that does not appear to be addressed by any of the commentary is the possibility of a design flaw in the static line system of this particular pack configuration. Undue pressure on the flap covering a release pin causing the pin to bind and not release definitely sounds like a design flaw to me. And no amount of additional training and inspections will correct that issue if that part of the report is correct.
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SSG Robert Webster
I have not yet read the investigative report, but from what I have read from the Army Times (I do not know why I would reference them) latest, the static line was the problem, but it (the static line) was not the problem. How in the hell did they come to that conclusion?
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If the fault was found to be an issue which could be found on a proper JMPI, yes, the jump master would be at fault. Regardless, the safety on the plane was out of his cert anyway, and also not attending the briefings the day prior is just another mark against him. I'm sure there will be a lot more investigating, but right now it appears as if the JM who did the JMPI and the safety on the plane are at fault.
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To an extent, yes. But it's the responsibility for as clear and concise (as possible) reporting of the incident to see what happened.
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