AIR DISASTER

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 120, 23 May 1931, Page 7

AIR DISASTER

FAILURE OF PARACHUTE

COURT'S FINDING

As a result of the finding of the Court of inquiry which investigated the circumstances of the death of Lieutenant Haakon Qviller, the Norwegian parachutist, who lost his life at Oamaru on 2nd May last, the Government has decided to prohibit the use of the particular type of parachute in the future. This decision was announced by the Minister of Defence (the Hon. J. G. Gobbe) yesterday. The President of the Court ' was Squadron-Leader J. L. Findlay, M.C., and associated with him were PlightLieutenant M. W. Buckley and FlightLieutenant J. C. Mercer. The Court found that the cause of death was the failure of the parachute to open. In announcing this finding, the Minister said that the Court found that the reasons for the parachute not opening were as follows:— "When the bundle, comprising the parachute, rigging lines, and cone, was released, it unrolled normally to a point midway between the parachute proper and the cone. At this stagi 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 is sufficient to prevent the remainder of the bundle from unrolling; indeed, tho stronger the pull exerted after this stage the tighter would tho cord become wrapped round the parachute. "It must be borne in mind)". states the finding, "that the type of parachute used by deceased was not intgnded 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 this form of packing bo henceforth prohibited." The Minister stated that it was not intended to permit the use of this parachute in Now Zealand in future.